Assassin series RE: When the Assassin strikes
by Askre5
Summary: A year after the 2k3 TMNT encountered evil versions of two of their brothers; they learn they are not off the hook yet. Assassin Leo apparently still has his sight on a certain purple wearing ninja. Or so it seems.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Story originally written and posted on. 04/01 2006

When the Assassin strikes is a direct Sequel to Turtotopia and continues the storyline that was started in the previous story.

This story happens somewhere mid-late in the season 2 of the 2k3 cartoon.

This is a revised and somewhat rewritten version of the story, those familiar with the old version might spot the various changes.

* * *

 **Disclaimer and Legal stuff:**

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, including Raphael®, Michelangelo®, Leonardo®, Donatello®, April O'Neil®, and Splinter® are registered trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Based on characters and comic books created by Peter A. Laird and Kevin B. Eastman.

I do not own them in other words.

This story is written purely as a homage to the Teenage Mutant Turtles and not meant for any commercial profit or infringement on copyright. This story will immediately be removed if Viacom International wishes so.

Other characters, Including Sinda, Tony, Dr. Sherman and Luna are © Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

The species Ulfarians is © Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

AU turtles in all their variety are based off the TMNT.

The story, is copyright © 2006 by Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

 **Warning: This story will contain violence and torture. Implied and perhaps mildly described adult situations.**

 **If you don't like to see characters suffer this is not a story for you. If you are of a sensitive mind, then you have been warned. Story is rated T**

 **This story is canon to the Assassin series.**

 **This story is part of the Main story line of the Assassin series and is the 2nd official long instalment.**

 _A year after the 2k3 TMNT encountered evil versions of two of their brothers; they learn they are not off the hook yet. Assassin Leo apparently still has his sight on a certain purple wearing ninja. Or so it seems._

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **Turtleland**

The elderly looking turtle sat behind the desk and stared at his three fingered hands thoughtfully. He clenched and unclenched them, eyed the large nails before finally sighing heavily.

"They used to be smaller, and with five fingers," he muttered to himself shaking the head. He continued his work on the desk, picking up a pen and began writing a report.

"No use living in the past, the mutation is irreversible. This is my new form, new species." he glanced up from his work when there was a knock on the door. "Yes, come in."

"Sorry to disturb you doctor, but our visitor is here." his assistant had the door half open as she peeked in. The older turtle regarded the younger female one before nodding in sign to let him in. Into the room walked a young adult human.

"Greetings Doctor Sherman and thank you for allowing me to visit your asylum," the man said with a smile, he spoke with a formal accent. The doctor nodded and rose up, extending his right hand.

"You must be Tony Roran, welcome to the Royal Asylum, the top institution for those who suffer from mental illnesses in Turtleland," he greeted back. The two shook hands. "I understand you are writing a report."

"Yes I'm writing a report on your most famous inmate," Tony explained. Dr. Sherman nodded; he knew of whom the young man spoke. He gestured him to follow out of the office.

"I hope you understand that we do not allow direct contact with him except for staff and his brother who has full custody over him. But I can try to answer any questions you might want to ask," the old turtle said as they walked down the corridor and away from the office area.

"Well my first question would be how is it to have the person responsible for all of this in your clutches?" Tony asked, he was a relieved that the doctor laughed. The human had been unsure whether the question was appropriate or not.

"I assure you that we treat Donatello just like any other patient here. I do not make it a habit of going on a power trip," he said as they approached a large steel door that was guarded by two turtles in gray uniforms.

One guard opened the door immediately for them and they entered another long corridor that looked now more akin to one you find in a hospital. People, mostly turtles, walked or sat in it. There was an occasional hospital bed and a water fountain.

"This is the lower security area. Here are most of the patients who are the least security risk," Dr. Sherman explained. Tony nodded and noted down the information he was receiving. They came to an elevator that was operated with a keycard from the doctor's shirt pocket.

It took the elevator full five minutes too reach the desired level, the top floor and the one with the highest security. It was evident with the armed guards as the two stepped out; Tony was mildly surprised to see that.

"Some of the patients can be very violent. Here they are only allowed outside at certain times and currently they are all locked in," the doctor explained.

They continued onward and the human was startled to see the large strange turtle walking towards them. His lower legs were obviously robotic; there was some flesh on the upper legs. The plastron was made of metal and so was the shell but it was painted to look real. Half of the face was metallic and both arms were completely made of steel. It had red shoulder pads.

"Ah Raphael, I see you have been visiting your brother," the doctor greeted the mechanical being.

"I was." Raphael nodded; he gave the human a glance. "Who is that?"

"This is Tony Roran, he is writing a report about your brother for his university," the elder turtle explained. They cyborg narrowed his eyes on Tony who wished to shrink down and disappear. He realized who that was and knew he was very protective of his mentally unstable brother, allowing no reporters from any media to interview him.

"It's an innocent report, just a general overview for modern history," the human gulped.

"I'm afraid my brother has taken his medication and cannot be disturbed right now," Raphael growled and glared at the doctor.

"We will not open his cell nor will Tony make any contact with him," the doctor assured him.

"Very well," Raphael grunted and continued his walk towards the elevator. The doctor gestured the frightened human onward.

"He can be intimidating I know," Dr. Sherman mentioned. They finally approached a cell and the elder turtle opened the peephole to allow Tony to see inside.

"So that's him?" the human asked when he saw the olive green turtle sleeping in his bed. "He looks… so young."

"Twenty one years old." The doctor closed the hole on the door again. "Brilliant mind but has no control over it any longer."

"If he is twenty one year old… then he was seventeen when he began conquest," Tony's eyebrows rose when Dr. Shellback nodded.

"Wow." Was the only thing the human could really say.

Half an hour later Tony Roran was out of Royal Asylum and driving off into the capital city of Turtleland. He parked the car in front of a café and stepped out. The human spotted movement in the alley beside it, looking around to make sure nobody was watching the young man darted into it.

Tony walked into the alley looking warily around, though he seemed most concerned if anyone was following. It wasn't dark, there was still daylight but that didn't matter in his case. From a behind a dumpster a black gloved three fingered hand appeared and grabbed the front of his shirt. Harshly, the human was dragged behind it and stood face to face with a turtle.

He wore a black mask, a shirt and shorts in same color in the addition of the gloves and sandals. Utility belt encircled his waist and on the back he carried a single sword and a rifle.

"So did you find out where they are keeping him?" the turtle snapped in a hissing whisper.

"Yes, top floor. Cell block 145B. It has heavy security, sir," the human reported, looking only mildly alarmed. The turtle released him by pushing him away.

"Good, tonight I'm paying the emperor a little visit," the black clad reptile said, his voice was very chilly. He eyed Tony who was straightening up his own shirt.

"Let's go," the turtle growled and disappeared further into the alley. The human without a word or hesitation followed, carefully looking back to make sure nobody else was.

* * *

 _Later that night._

He was a former emperor and he hated it, deeply. Donatello ex-ruler of Turtotopia lay in the bed in his holding cell wide-awake like most nights. He could never sleep more than few minutes at a time otherwise the nightmares came.

When the turtle was awake, he could do little but think or cry. There was little left for him to do, he couldn't end it like he dearly wished. Raphael had full custody over him. The cyborg made it clear that his brother was not to have anything that he could use to harm himself.

 _I miss you Leo-bro,_ he sniffled and dried fresh tears off his cheeks. _I'm sorry… I caused you more pain than you caused me… and all you did was care about me… I'm sorry._

 _Wimp,_ whisper of a familiar voice tried to break through.

 _No, go away, you are not coming back,_ Donatello closed his eyes tight and whimpered.

 _We made you strong, you were in control,_ the voice continued.

 _We helped you make them pay,_ another one more sinister and cold.

 _No, no I won't listen, you can't control me anymore,_ he desperately wrapped his arms around his head, trying to quiet the voices this way.

 _They tortured you, your own brother tortured you,_ the voices didn't stop.

 _Leave me alone,_ he begged wrapping his arms tighter.

"Pathetic," a voice said from the doorframe. The turtle curled up in the bed froze. The voice was familiar.

 _It's him,_ the sinister voice said.

 _He killed your brother,_ the other voice snarled.

Slowly he untangled the hands from his head and with tearful eyes glanced to the doorway to see a dark shape standing there. Two piercing eyes looking from under a black mask almost burned holes into him.

"I-its y-you," Donatello whispered.

"How the mighty have fallen. The great Emperor Donatello of Turtotopia reduced to a sniveling crybaby." the black clad turtle walked closer. "Don't worry about the guards. They are sleeping tight, some of them at least."

"W-what do you want… leave me alone… y-you…you killed Leo… please don't kill me, please… leave me alone," the turtle curled up in a tight ball.

"I repeat, pathetic." Leonardo the assassin shook his head in dismay; he then shrugged and picked up his dimension traveler. "Oh well, have to work with what I have."

He opened a portal and drew out of his utility belt a small dart gun. He aimed it at the shivering turtle who didn't dare to look up. A dart flew through the air and landed on the shoulder of Donatello who jerked at the stinging sensation.

Everything began to look foggy, he could only vaguely sense being picked up and carried before falling asleep. Soon the cell was empty of any life and outside on the corridor, all the armed guards were slain or sleeping.

 **End Prologue**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 06/01 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **2k3 TMNT world**

"Hey Don, what are you working on?" Leonardo stepped into the work corner of his brother. The purple-masked turtle was on the computer and various devices littered the desk.

"Well I'm using the downtime we've had lately to check out the various surveillance gear that Assassin counterpart of yours left in our lair," Donatello answered.

Leo cringed a bit; it had been almost a year now since they met the black clad counterpart. He had enforced a switch between Don and a counterpart of the purple-clad turtle, Emperor Donatello of Turtotopia. It turned out that for the most part it had been an elaborate plan to force the ninja to do something for the assassin. They never found out what exactly, though they had theories.

"So what have you found out?" the blue-masked reptile wondered.

"Only that it is a good surveillance gear, even this," Don picked up one device that looked more like a small metallic ant. "Can both record video and audio and send it back almost crystal clear to a monitor. There is no way this is just scrambled randomly together; this was manufactured in a factory."

"Say Don, what brought on this sudden fascination with his gear, we've had plenty of down time in-between and you never touched it then," Leonardo wondered.

Don dropped the device to the table and sighed. His brother was right; for the most part the purple-masked turtle had tried to forget the whole thing. The cyborg still occasionally visited them but they seldom mentioned the events around how they met.

"Alright… I guess I should tell you…" Don glanced at his brother. "You see… lately I have been having nightmares, for almost four months now."

Leonardo was visibly surprised. The purple-clad ninja had never mentioned this before. As far as anybody knew, he wasn't having any problems at night.

"Are these nightmares related to… my assassin counterpart?" Leo asked. Donatello nodded and clasped his hands together.

"They are so vividly real Leo. It's almost as if somebody is trying to tell me something." the olive-green ninja shook his head; he blinked when a hand grabbed his upper arm and he was pulled up from the computer chair.

"Come, we are talking with Master Splinter," Leonardo said firmly.

"But…" his brother protested.

"Don, last time you had a weird dream you found the cure for genetic mutation done by the Foot. If you are having a weird dream about this assassin, we better talk with Splinter," Leo told him and promptly pulled his brother along with him towards Splinter's chamber.

* * *

Their sensei had been enjoying his evening meditation when his two sons knocked on the door. The old rat beckoned them to come in and soon the two turtles sat kneeling in front of him. There Don confessed his nightmare problem.

"Hm, I wish you had come to me sooner with this, Donatello." Splinter frowned a little. "You know it is important we are open to one another."

"Yes I know sensei… I guess I just thought it would go away eventually," Don hung his head a bit.

"What are these dreams about?" his father inquired.

"They… always start…" the purple-masked turtle took a deep breath before continuing.

* * *

 _He ran through the corridor in hope to find an exit soon. The turtle was being followed, somebody just as silent as he was._

 _Don simply continued running, he had lost his Bo in another battle, one he had no memory about. All the ninja knew is that the weapon had been lost in a battle and his brothers were missing too. He was alone._

 _Suddenly something pricked his shoulder; he stumbled and fell to his knees. Clasping the shoulder, he felt a dart sticking through it. Don fell shortly later unconscious to the ground._

 _He woke up chained to a wall, his arms and legs spread out. Somebody approached from the darkness. Donatello felt shivers go down his spine; it was the counterpart of his brother._

" _Well Donatello, looks like I finally got you," he said with his chilling voice. Don struggled against his bonds but they were too strong._

" _Looks like I got you now," a voice spoke but it had changed. The ninja looked up and blinked, the assassin was gone and instead a strange creature stood there. It looked humanoid but had strange features not clearly visible as it was half concealed by the dark. However, its eyes were reddish and with oil black eyeballs._

" _Who are you?" Don spoke and gasped when a silver-gray furred fist came out of the darkness and punched him. Everything went black._

 _Again Don woke up but this time on the floor, he looked up there was something different. He looked at his hands and gasped; they were smaller, more feminine. He felt his face it had changed as well. He was no longer himself, he was someone else a woman, a turtle woman. The assassin approached._

 _Don was grabbed forcefully by the throat and pulled up. He couldn't struggle, just stared at the assassin who was seething. What was going on?_

" _You bitch!" he snarled. "I'll teach you for betraying me!"_

" _No wait!" Don cried but it wasn't his voice, a black gloved fist struck him…_

* * *

"…it's about that time when I wake up," Don finished.

"You're right that is a weird dream." Leo raised an eye-ridge.

"What makes you think that this might be a warning Donatello?" Splinter wondered, but before his son could answer, the old rat glanced at the closed door of his room.

"Michelangelo, Raphael," he said sharply. Slowly the door opened and the two turtles peeked in.

"Heh… sorry sensei," Mikey grinned innocently.

"Yeah… uh we saw Leo drag Donny over here and thought maybe something was up…" Raph shrugged. Splinter shook his head and returned his attention to his purple-masked son, gesturing him to continue.

"Well… I don't know, but sometimes I'm not this turtle woman, sometimes I'm observing almost like I'm watching television and she looks right at me," Don explained. "And she reaches out for me, begging me to help her."

"Leonardo when you were imprisoned by your double, did you recall meeting any turtle woman?" Splinter looked at his blue-masked son.

"No sensei, but I was locked up in a room the entire time. I never really got to see how the outside looked like," Leonardo answered.

"But the dream is so real sensei, it's almost like someone is trying to reach out for me or us, I don't know. Warning us about the Assassin." Donatello shrugged; a strange look coming on both Leo and Raph didn't escape his attention, or his father's.

"Leonardo, Raphael." The old rat suspected that his two sons were in the knowledge of something they were keeping from the family.

"Ah yes Master Splinter?" Leonardo saw how his sensei was looking at him and Raph. _Shell, he knows._

"Is there something we should know my sons?" he asked almost casually. Leo had a slightly panicked look and glanced at Raph who was unsure what to say as well.

"Ah… well…" the blue-masked one gulped. He and Raph hadn't told anybody for a very good reason, or so they both had figured. They had been busy for the past year as well.

"It's about that assassin," he decided to fess up. Leo had everyone's attention now.

"Raph and I suspect he is still watching and monitoring us. Over the past year we have spotted him several times on our training runs top-side, watching and even following us."

"W-what?" Don gasped. "He has and you knew?"

"We have both tried to catch him but he always keeps his distance and disappears if we get to close. We kept it quiet both because we have been busy. With all that stuff happening with us going out to space, discovering Shredder was an Utrom, blowing up his ship headquarters. All that stuff just kept coming… and he was always watching, but he only showed himself to either Raph or me," Leonardo explained eyeing Raph who shrugged.

"We also shut up about it, because we didn't want to worry you, Donny," the red one finished. "We don't know what he wants and we worried you might not take it too well. He did attack you in your own room after all."

"Oh sure that makes me feel better," Don muttered. He shrugged Leo's reassuring hand off his shoulder.

"My sons, I'm very disappointed in both of you. This assassin has already proven once to be a dangerous adversary. From now on if you spot him again, you let the rest of us know," Splinter scolded them sharply.

"Yes Master Splinter," both Raph and Leo responded, looking a little embarrassed.

* * *

 **Turtleland**

"Hello Leo, it's been a while but I've been busy." Raphael the cyborg was kneeling on one knee; he was smiling solemnly.

"Our brother is doing all right; they managed to stabilize his real personality. The one we knew and loved. However, it came at a prize, he is hurting much more now and they tell me he cries a lot. He hardly sleeps any longer unless given medication. I fear he will not survive for long like this." Raphael stroke the metal on the back of his head, it was the closest he could do to rubbing it.

"We have a niece now. April gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She inherited most of her look from her father; looks like the turtle genes overruled most of the human ones. We suspect that Donatello cheated and April was just a carrier, but we decided it didn't matter." the cyborg smiled slightly now.

"Yes I said we, April and I… well… not that I can do much with my body but she doesn't care. Its funny it happened, I guess we just got closer as we learned about each other over the year." he slowly rose up staring at the stone marker in front of him.

"I remember when we first came to this place; you said this was the most beautiful sight you had ever seen." Raphael slowly turned in circles admiring the green landscape. He was on top of a grassy hill, plain grass fields surrounded it but in a short distance was a vast forest on one side.

"Of course we were fleeing from the lab then so we couldn't stop for very long." The mechanical turtle smiled and glanced back at the marker. On it were two names, Leonardo and Michelangelo.

"It would have been great to bury you here, but we never recovered your body. I don't know what the blasted guy who killed you did with it but he didn't send it back home. Couldn't bury Mikey either, too long since it happened. I think Donny-boy burned his remains, I don't know." He heaved a sigh and turned in the direction away from the marker. At the bottom of the hill was a road and a large green truck was slowing down to park near the hill.

"I have to go now Leo, take care of Mikey." He began to descend down from the hill.

 _Who are those, I walked here like I always do and only April knew where I was,_ he thought.

"Hello?" Raphael called when coming closer to the truck. The cyborg frowned when there was no answer. Suddenly the cell phone he carried in his shoulder compartment started to ring. Thanks to his cybernetic implants the turtle didn't have to fetch it, instead the phone was connected directly to his head from the inside.

"Yeah hello this is Raphael," Raphael answered smiling slightly when hearing the female voice. "Oh hey babe, yeah I'm at the marker."

"What? Call from the asylum?" the cyborg frowned; he could now hear the worry in April's voice. "Twenty heavily armed guards either dead or drugged? Donatello is gone and no sign of forced entry or any breakout?"

 _Donatello in his mental state could never have done any of that,_ he thought and looked around; the mystery truck would have to wait. "I'm right at the marker April so I'm still quite a distance a way. Now calm down its ok, he is not coming to the house. I'll run if I have to."

"April, I want you to call Angela. Tell her that you and Michelle need a place to stay for the moment. It's best you two go into hiding." he walked away from the truck. After saying goodbye, he severed the connection.

"I don't know what is going on but whoever…" the cyborg halted and turned as swiftly as he could. The mechanical turtle growled when seeing who was standing in front of the vehicle.

"You!" Raphael started to advance immediately. His right hand sunk into the arm to be replaced with the laser machine gun.

"If you blow up the truck in the process of trying to blow me up, your brother will die just so you know," the assassin said smiling smugly. That halted the cyborg.

"So it was you who broke him out?" Raphael snarled raising his right arm to aim the gun. "What do you want with my brother?"

"Oh I want many things." The black-wearing turtle shrugged and leaned up against the truck with arms folded. "One thing in particular that I need is a certain turtle who wears purple."

 _So he's still wants Donatello from the other reality for some reason._ The mechanical reptile began advancing again. "Well I don't need the gun to smash you."

"There will be no smashing." Leonardo stood upright and reached for something in his utility belt. It was a device shaped a bit like a taser with more buttons than necessary.

"Right sure, a taser will stop me," Raphael said sarcastically. "Thanks, I'll need the extra energy when I pummel you into the ground."

"My dear cybernetic friend, I thought you would recognize one of your brother's devices." the assassin raised the 'taser' so it was in a clearer view. "You do know that your brother had a plan if you ever broke free of the mind-control."

"All equipment from my brother's laboratory has been destroyed." The cyborg was getting closer and began to reach with his hands. As he was just few feet away, the assassin pressed a button on the taser. Huge electric spark shot from it and headed straight for the mechanical turtle.

Raphael stopped just as the electricity surrounded him. However, something was definitely wrong; instead of absorbing the energy like he should have it was harming him. The cyborg roared in pain and crashed to his knees. Another electric spark surrounded him and just as painful as the other was. Raph screamed and fell completely to the ground with a loud thud causing a slight tremor. The mechanical turtle began to shut down, leaving only the most vital systems to keep his body alive online.

"Yes, your brother has very little left of what he originally owned. I kind of stole this when I last visited is private laboratory." The assassin approached the now the semi-unconscious cyborg.

"Now where is that secret control panel he installed." The assassin knelt down beside the larger turtle and began patting the metal shell. Finally a square part on it slid open revealing a small keyboard, buttons and a screen.

"Bet you didn't know about this one eh, well your brother installed this as a backup plan if you overwrote the mind-control device one day. How do I know? Well I didn't just steal the device, I stole the files about you as well." He picked out of his pocket a piece of paper and began reading it. The turtle punched the correct codes in the keyboard.

"I needed a back up plan as well if my original one didn't work. I was going to start sooner but this year has been busy; I have to make a living and I asked to hunt few fugitives. Just as well, the turtles I'm currently interested in have been busy as well, you wouldn't believe what they have been going through over the year," the assassin started pushing buttons in a sequence described on the paper. A message flashed on the small screen.

 _I serve who?_

"Leonardo, assassin and bounty hunter," he said.

 _What is my primary objective?_

"To serve me and follow my every order." The assassin smiled wickedly.

 _Secondary objective._

"Protect me and those who follow me," he said.

 _Affirmative. Commencing memory overwrite._

The assassin stood up and took a step back. Strange noises began coming from the large body lying in front of him. The controls disappeared when the secret panel closed and the mechanical turtle began to rise.

Just in case anything happened, Leonardo was ready with the taser like device. Raphael stood for a moment motionless, then slowly turned. He stared with cold and emotionless eyes at the assassin.

"Whom do you serve?" the black wearing turtle asked.

"Leonardo, assassin and bounty hunter," was the canned answer.

"And am I Leonardo?" the assassin asked.

"Affirmative, voice is in synch and recognized. I am here to serve you my lord." Raphael actually bowed for his new master.

"Good, I need you to help me with the next phase of my plan. You might make things a bit too easy but that's ok. Come you need to go into that truck." Leonardo gestured the large turtle to follow him.

They both went to the back of the truck; the assassin opened the door revealing Tony Roran standing just inside. The human didn't need orders what to do, he immediately used the controls to lower the platform used to lift heavy objects.

Once it was on the ground the cyborg was ordered to step on to it. Tony began lifting the platform. Leonardo cringed slightly when hearing the creaking noise; the mechanical turtle was apparently heavier than they had anticipated. Nothing broke fortunately and soon the cyborg was inside the truck and the black clad reptile closed the back.

In the truck itself, Tony was strapping the cyborg to make sure he didn't move anywhere while the vehicle was in motion. The human paid no attention to it when the engine started and they started moving.

"No…time… no time… we are not safe…" a voice whispered somewhere deeper in the truck.

Tony didn't say a word in response, he simply walked towards it. Sitting huddled on the floor was a turtle much like the assassin and the cyborg. This one was bluish green and the eyes didn't look too focused.

"Come along, sir, you should be secured," the human said and made a move to pull the turtle up. A three-fingered hand grabbed his throat, quicker than a snake striking.

"No… Time…" the turtle hissed.

"We have time… just trust me," Tony struggled to say. "I am not an enemy, I am a friend."

"F-friend?" the bluish-green turtle whispered and slowly let go.

"Yes Mike, I am your friend, so is the Master. We are both your friends," the human continued to speak calmly. He clearly had done this before.

"Friends," the turtle whispered and huddled again. A hole-cover in the front was removed and the Assassin looked in from the truck itself.

"Just let him sit there Tony, he will probably go nuts anyway if you strap him in," the black-masked turtle ordered.

"Very well sir," Tony nodded and got seated in a makeshift chair nearby.

 **End chapter 1**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 10/01 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **2k3 TMNT world**

Don sighed in frustration as he dug through the junkpile. He was at one of his favorite junkyards, the one who most often revealed useful things the turtle could use. The ninja had left the lair shortly after speaking with Master Splinter and told about his nightmares. He just had to go out and gather his thoughts together.

A year ago, the Assassin had made a big elaborate plan to trap him in his own world. Force Don to be dependent on him to return home and thus probably forced to do some job or another. They never found out what and now it was clear that the black clad turtle was still interested in this world.

 _And those dreams just keep coming,_ he thought and picked up a very old toaster from the pile.

"Nah, got twenty of those already." Throwing it away, he began digging again.

 _All I know is that the main reason he chose to go after me was because our worlds are similar in some way? What did that mean and why was that so important?_

Don moved to another pile nearby, so far he hadn't found anything worthwhile or interesting enough to take back home. He had dug up few pipes he could use as spares.

 _Hm?_ the ninja stopped digging; his eyes looked up to a nearby junk hill.

 _No._ He froze for a moment and stared at the silhouette on the hill. It was like a turtle, it was too dark to see it clearly but for some reason he was sure it weren't any of his brothers.

 _Alright, time for some answers._ Slowly Don reached for his staff and pulled it up. Then he quickly darted towards the hill and jumped for a surprise attack.

"Take that," he shouted and struck hard with the bo hard. It scattered junk in all directions, the turtle blinked then groaned and palmed his face.

"I can't believe I attacked a pile of junk," he complained and sat down. _Guess this is bothering me more than I'm admitting._

"Well it never saw it coming."

"How long have you guys been here?" Don glanced to his right where his three brothers suddenly stood.

"Long enough," Leo responded with a slight smile. They all gathered around their brother.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you about him earlier. At the time we really thought it was best kept just between me and Raph," the blue masked turtle said. He sat now beside Don, Raph was on the other and Mikey was in front of all three.

"Yeah guess Leo and I took this little personally," Raphael confessed.

"Yeah, I mean this guy was responsible for placing another dangerous turtle in our lair, who neutralized both Mikey and Splinter and used that to black mail Raph to behave himself," Leo added.

"And he abducted Leo with the intention to keep him around as a personal training dummy," the red-masked turtle grunted. "Not to mention whatever he planned for you Don."

"No it's ok, I understand… partly." Donatello rubbed the back of his neck. "When is the last time you saw him."

"Two days ago," Raph answered. "I was topside busting skulls with Casey. He followed us for few minutes before he disappeared. Casey never saw him."

The brothers were interrupted in their discussion when they heard a noise nearby. All quickly grabbed for their weapons and rose up. It sounded like somebody was moving through the debris. Then there was a shriek and somebody tumbled.

"That didn't sound like a deadly assassin," Mikey commented. The turtles carefully began moving their way towards where the shriek had come.

"Hey somebody is buried under the junk." Don pointed with the Bo where an arm was sticking out from under some debris. The four ninjas immediately put their weapons back and started digging the person up.

"Ok I got… whoa." Raph had freed the arm; he was shocked to learn it was green and had three fingers. His brothers quickly managed to shift the rest of the junk and stared startled down at the unconscious creature.

"Is that a…" Mike knelt beside the person. Gingerly he turned what looked like a mutant turtle like them around so it lay on the back.

"Not just a, it's a she." Don noticed immediately the more feminine features of the turtle; she looked smaller and was much, much thinner than he and his brothers.

 _Wait, aren't turtle females usually larger than the males?_ The purple-masked turtle's brow sunk in a frown.

"Don, look what's she is holding." Leo pointed at a device in her right hand.

"It's a… it look just like the device the assassin had to travel between dimension." Donatello knelt down and carefully removed the device from her hand.

"So, ya telling me she ain't from around here?" Raph asked frowning.

"I would like to think so." Don put the device on the belt intending to examine it later and began making sure the girl was all right. He could see no visible injuries and she was breathing. "She must have been knocked out when she fell."

"Hey Donny, she's your color." Mikey noticed that the female turtle was the same shade of brownish olive green and the purple clad ninja.

"We should take her to the lair, we can't leave her here." Don ignored his brother's comment. He carefully picked her up and rose to his feet, now first did he really notice how petite she was. "She isn't heavy."

Twenty minutes later the four turtles had arrived in their underground home. The mysterious female turtle was gently laid on the couch while Master Splinter was informed on where they had found her. Donatello also showed him the traveler.

They were all still talking right in front of the couch and didn't notice when she slowly opened her eyes, squinting them at the light and trying to make out what she was hearing and seeing.

"Uh… hello?" the turtle addressed them. Everybody turned to face her, their curiosity and wonder equaled hers.

"Hello…" Leonardo began to address her but stopped short when she looked at him and gasped. The girl rose up and looked like she was ready to sink into the sofa.

"Y-you… y-you…" she stammered.

"You know somebody who looks and sounds like him?" Donatello asked soothingly. The girl looked at him and screamed.

"Leonardo, Donatello, I have to ask you to stay out of sight," Splinter realized that two of his sons' apparently distressed the young woman. They hesitated to obey but did so in the end.

"I'm… I'm sorry… he just looked exactly… exactly like him," the girl panted when two of the turtles had gone up to the upper level.

"What is your name child?" Splinter asked calmly. Mikey and Raph sat down in nearby chairs. The girl eyed them nervously.

"Luna," she whispered.

"Where do you come from Luna." Splinter never moved, just stood there in front of the couch with the support of his walking stick. His calm voice did seem to have some effects on the young woman as she stopped shivering.

"I come from Turtleland, formerly called Turtotopia," she confessed.

Up on the second level, Leonardo and Donatello listened to every word spoken. They looked at each other when hearing from where their guest hailed from.

"No wonder she screamed, I look just like the person who changed her into a turtle," Don whispered. His brother frowned, not understanding completely.

"She is from Turtotopia, now called Turtleland. Emperor Donatello changed humans into mutant turtles, that girl used to be a human and she was mutated by my double," the purple clad one explained.

 _And probably answers why she is so small,_ he added in his mind.

"But that doesn't explain me." Leonardo pointed out.

"Yes it does." Don's face darkened slightly. "The traveler, I know they in Turtleland do not possess that advanced dimensional traveling devices. The transpad is too new for them, I don't even know if Raph's cyborg double introduced it to the population."

"The traveler… you think she has the assassin's traveler?" Leonardo's eyes widened.

"Yes I do and more to the point. I think she knows the assassin." Don looked down.

"You think she is on the run from him?" his older brother asked.

"Maybe," the intelligent turtle muttered. "Or maybe not."

* * *

 **Turtleland.**

"I hope you don't mind all this," April said while opening her suitcase on the bed.

"Not at all, not at all. Everything for my angel and his lovely family," a middle-aged Asian human woman stood in the doorway to the bedroom. She was holding a small child, a turtle with olive-green skin. The young girl was sleeping soundly.

"Angel? You still call that teasing bucket of bolts angel?" April asked grinning.

"Yes I have heard rumors that Raphael was a prankster." Angela shrugged smiling and walked into the room. "You girls will stay here as long as you need too."

"Hopefully it will not be for too long. Raphael will probably go straight to the asylum to hear what happened then probably come here." the red haired woman began taking her clothes up and stuff them in a nearby closet.

After she had finished taking care of the luggage, April took her daughter from the older woman and the two humans walked out and into the living room.

"So why Michelle?" Angela asked as they sat down each in a different chair.

"Closest we could find that sounded close to Michelangelo," April sighed and stroke the bald head of her daughter gently. "Raphael looked at him more as a son than a brother."

"I remember very little about him, I remember though when I handed him to the other adult. Leonardo." Angela shook her head. "It's a shame what happened to Donatello. He was already so bright in his young age. I really hated those guards who tortured him but I couldn't do anything. I was just one of the scientists."

"I don't know much about their life from the lab. Leonardo only gave me a summary of their life. Raphael doesn't talk much about it," the younger woman admitted.

The doorbell interrupted the discussion. Michelle, disturbed by the noise, began wailing. Her mother tried to soothe her while Angela stood up and went to answer, wondering who on earth could be coming at this time of the evening.

April managed to quiet her daughter who stared at her mother wide eyed. The human smiled and cuddled the child closer. She had long since stopped caring how her little miracle had been conceived and who the father was. It was her daughter. Nothing would change that.

"Yes can I help you?" she heard Angela address whoever was at the front door.

"You are Angela Takei?" someone asked. April frowned. The voice was strangely familiar.

"I am." That was the last thing younger woman heard from her. There was a thud as something hit the floor and suddenly into the room walked a turtle clad in black. April stood up holding her daughter protectively.

"He couldn't at least mutate you? Jeez." The black-masked reptile sneered staring at the woman in disgust.

"Who are you? Where is Angela?" April backed away further into the living room.

"Your friend, I'm afraid, had an early appointment with the afterlife." The turtle drew up a small gun. The woman froze.

"I need you… unfortunately… alive." He walked closer aiming the piece at her. "And your daughter as well."

"You will never have her." April tried to run for a nearby window but something pricked her. Feeling for her back with one hand she plucked out a dart. Slowly the woman fell first to her knees and then fell to the floor. Michelle began crying as she abruptly dropped to the floor.

The assassin grunted and put the gun back on his utility belt. Behind him appeared both Tony and the turtle Michelangelo.

"Why do we need her, sir?" Tony inquired.

"In case the cyborg manages to overwrite the overwrite. It isn't perfect and only a solution if the old control chip the emperor installed is busted. She makes a better bargaining chip than his brother," Leonardo grunted and pointed at the motionless body. "Pick her up and take her to the truck."

Michelangelo muttered something unheard but then spontaneously began snickering as he walked to April and picked her up. As he walked past the assassin and the human, they could hear him say something about 'new friends'.

"Don't look at me, sir. You decided to keep him," Tony said when his master glanced at him.

"Right," the black clad reptile grunted and crouched to pick up the crying child. He stood for a moment unsure with the wailing infant, before quickly handing her to Tony.

"Here… you take her to the truck," he ordered. The human made no comment and simply accepted the bundle and left.

Leonardo watched them leave the living room and shook his head in dismay. Then he heard a beep and picked up a small machine from his belt. On the small screen a message flashed.

"Oh good, she's in place," he muttered and placed the device back on the belt before leaving the room. The turtle ignored and walked over the body of Angela and once outside went straight for the truck.

"All right, buckle up everybody we are leaving this world," the assassin said as he sat in the driver seat and started the truck. "Tony, shut that kid up. Mike, sit down."

As the truck drove away, a lone figure sitting on a nearby rooftop followed it with his eyes attentively. As it hid in a shadow, it smiled slightly and from a belt circling its waist picked up a similar device and the assassin owned.

 _I have found you Leo, hope you don't mind me coming over to play,_ it thought and activated the traveler. If anybody could have seen the figure disappear through a dark portal, he would only have just missed what looked like something large with a wolfish head that disappeared through the gateway.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT world**

"Yes, I was a human once." Luna had mostly recovered from her shock of seeing the emperor's double, she now held a teacup in her hands and still sat on the couch. Donatello and Leonardo returned but sat in a safe enough distance in case their appearance made her uneasy.

"I was the part of the Rebellion against Emperor Donatello. I was captured after only fighting for a month and the punishment was this." The young girl looked at her right hand and sighed. "It worked in the emperor's favor to change us into mutants. Our fellow members didn't believe that we used to be who we were. So he slowly diminished the numbers of rebellion members not by killing them but by changing them into turtles."

"And in turn created a whole country with turtle mutants." Don shook his head. "So how do people cope being mutants suddenly?"

"Many didn't, must most accepted it. I wanted the first few months to end it, but lacked the nerve. Then few months ago I thought I had found a reason to live in peace with my new body," Luna told them and gave a sorrowful sigh. "He was nice at first, told me how greatly superior my body was now over my old weak human one. And… and I began to believe him."

"Who?" Leo asked. The female turtle glanced up at him and swallowed nervously before answering.

"He… you look like him. Just he wore more, always black. He also only carried one sword, had a rifle and a belt," she said. "I figured he used to be a former Rebellion member at first."

"He wasn't," Donatello answered. His face had a heavy frown when he realized who Luna was talking about. "And he never used to be a human. He is like us, a mutant turtle who at one point was just a normal turtle."

"Yes… yes I know, he told me later. And he took me away to his world, I used to live in his house… until a week ago." the girl drank from her tea to calm her nerves. "I finally gathered up courage to run away. I stole his spare dimension traveler and ran off. I have been going through random worlds in hope to elude him. He is a very good tracker. I can't risk staying in one place for long, he will find me."

"Why did you run away?" Leo asked. Although he felt the answer was obvious and had guessed it before Luna opened her mouth. The fact she hesitated was a giveaway for him.

"I… when… first I was in a bliss, he treated me well enough the first week. But soon he started to be… be dominant," she whispered.

"He beat ya?" Raph asked immediately and gritted his teeth when the female turtle nodded slowly.

"I don't think we need to hear more, it is clear the young woman is running from a common adversary," Splinter said. Luna looked at him confused.

"We have met him before," Leonardo explained.

"We have some scores to settle with him," Raph grunted.

 _I don't… I'm not sure why… I just, I don't trust her._ Donatello rubbed his chin thoughtfully, occasionally glancing at the young turtle woman. Something about her and her story just didn't seem right.

He looked at her dimension traveler he still had. At most, it looked like a glorified pocket calculator with too many buttons. It had alien letters on it, or at least the turtle figured they must be alien because he was not familiar with their shape at all.

Nobody was looking Don's way so he tried to push a button but nothing seemed to happen. A small light flashed on the screen but then died. The purple clad turtle didn't notice that Luna gave him a glance while the light was on, but the girl quickly turned her head to Splinter who had addressed her.

 _Something doesn't fit here, something doesn't fit._ Donatello looked up from the traveler and narrowed his eyes on Luna.

"I cannot honestly stay here. He will come. He will find me. I must keep moving," she said. Don guessed that Splinter had offered her to stay with them for safety.

"If he comes, we will take care of him," Raph promised and hammered his right fist in the left palm. "We'll take reaaaaly good care of him."

"If it's true anyway that he will find you, then this place is as safe for you as any. We have already dealt with him once, we can do it again," Leonardo reasoned.

"Actually, didn't the cyborg deal with him?" Mikey asked scratching his head.

"That's not the point Mikey," Raph grunted and pushed the orange-clad turtle slightly.

 _Hm, she plays the old classic sob story about the bully boyfriend and then refuses help so those offering have to convince her. And there is the fact that she happens to stumble up on our world…_ Don stood up from the chair, weighted the traveler for a moment in his hand before throwing it to the couch so it landed beside Luna. He walked away towards his workspace. The turtle didn't notice or care about the surprised stares from the rest of his family.

 _If my suspicions about you are correct Luna, then you are messing with the wrong family,_ the purple clad ninja thought as he sat down in front of his computer.

 **End Chapter 2**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 17/01 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

Don's eyes flew open, panting heavily he rose up. He was bathed in cold sweat and was trembling violently.

 _This is getting ridiculous._ Donatello stared at his badly shaking hands. _Why am I even dreaming about this? Five months ago, I didn't give it a second thought._

"Ok think Donatello, what happened? What could possibly have happened to provoke those nightmares to start?" he spoke softly to himself. Slowly the turtle stopped shaking and now just sat in upright position in his bed.

"I had even forgotten about that blasted assassin until those nightmares began…" the purple-masked turtle covered his face with both palms. He groaned slightly in frustration. "I must have heard or seen something that jabbed at my subconscious."

" _Hey Donny she's your color."_ Mikey's words suddenly popped up in his mind, Don frowned wondering why he suddenly remembered them. Then it hit him.

"In my nightmares…that female turtle… it's her," he whispered surprised. _I thought she looked familiar but paid little attention to it. I was just so stunned at finding a female mutant turtle, even though she used to be a human._

"Ok, why am I dreaming about myself being captured by Leo's double, then I change into Luna and he starts beating me… her… I need coffee." He shook his head and jumped out of the bed.

Donatello walked from his room and down to the lower level. He noticed Mikey sleeping on the couch, indicating that he had sacrificed his room for their guest. Shrugging he entered the kitchen and began preparing some hot steaming brew.

He had hardly filled a mug when the turtle heard movement by the doorway. He looked towards it and saw Luna appear in it. The turtle female froze for a split second when seeing him.

 _Oh right,_ Don realized that he wasn't wearing his mask or his other battle gear, so he was basically a carbon copy of the guy who mutated her.

"I'm, sorry I know you're not him," she whispered shyly and entered the kitchen.

Donatello only hummed in response and drank from his mug. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the young woman standing just inside the kitchen eyeing nervously around. He gave a heavy sigh and somehow forced himself to be civil.

"If you want something to drink there are drinks in the fridge, just help yourself," the ninja gestured to the refrigerator and then held up the mug. "Or there is coffee."

"T-thanks." she walked to the fridge and picked a carton of orange juice from it. Don fetched a glass for her that Luna accepted gratefully and sat down at the kitchen table. The ninja figured he might just as well and sat as well.

"You are not as old as you look like are you?" Luna asked while sipping from her glass.

"Sixteen." Donatello shrugged; he was not actually surprised to see the shocked look on the woman. Many actually thought the turtles were a lot older, safe for Mikey.

"Y… ah… you are just a kid?" the woman almost gulped. Don raised an eye ridge, now where had he heard that one before.

"Perhaps so, but I have seen and done things that most 'kids' would never be able to do." He finished from the mug but not wanting be rude he didn't stand up just yet.

"So how did you exactly end up with him?" the ninja asked curious.

 _He sure is being a conversationalist suddenly, I could have sworn yesterday…_ Luna shook her head.

"Like I told you guys yesterday, I didn't cope very well with being mutated. My friends and family rejected me and I was constantly depressed. I made some attempts taking my own life but could never take the final step. I ended up living on the street," she whispered and started to spin the glass slowly staring almost hypnotized at the orange liquid in it.

"I was sometimes forced to steal food to live and during one such outing I was almost caught. It was about three months after the emperor fell and Turtotopia changed into Turtleland. The emperor's former turtle soldiers had been recycled into the police force and two of them were after me. I wouldn't be killed of course, just arrested." The woman stopped the spinning and drank from the glass. Donatello had yet to make a comment, just listened.

"I hid in an alley, behind a dumpster and could hear them coming. Then suddenly I heard a voice talk to them, it told them that there was nobody here but him. He convinced them to leave, then appeared in front of me." Luna gave a small sigh and a smile at the memory. "It was the first time since I was mutated that somebody was gentle with me."

 _She's in love with him. Then that's confirmed,_ Don thought but kept his face neutral. But their discussion was interrupted when Mikey came running in bellowing.

"GOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!" the orange-clad skidded to halt. "So who is ready for Mikey's most famous scrambled eggs for breakfast?"

"First of all, we are not in Vietnam, second your eggs are not famous," his brother grunted, but Luna giggled at the other turtle's antics.

* * *

 **The Assassin's world**

"Ok Mike, you go and put the woman down in the cellar and chain her up, you go behind the building and a door is there," Leonardo ordered as he opened the back of the truck. It was parked in front of a large mansion. Painted completely black, even the roof.

Michelangelo jumped out from the back of the truck, holding unconscious April over his shoulder. His insane glinting eyes sported visible surprise. "This… home?"

"Pays being a famous bounty hunter and an assassin." The assassin smirked. The only response was some muttering and more giggling.

The cyborg was next down, silently he stepped on the platform and Tony using the controls lowered the large metallic turtle down. Once down, the human raised the platform and climbed out of the truck, holding Michelle who slept.

"Ok Raphael you are to guard the prisoner, just follow Mike here where he will chain her up," the black-clad reptile instructed the cyborg. The two other turtles disappeared behind the Mansion.

"Give me the kid, Tony." Leonardo glanced at his servant and held out his hands. The human obeyed without question. The assassin held the sleeping child close to him and regarded it smiling.

"Dismissed for now, Tony, report to my training room in six hours," he said and walked to the main doors. The young human simply bowed and walked towards a small side door on the large building.

Inside the assassin walked up large stairs leading up to the second floor. The hallway he then walked through was decorated with either paintings of the said turtle in black or weapons of various kinds. Finally, he entered through a doorway into a well-equipped laboratory. Chained to a chair was former Emperor Donatello.

"Well I'm back, how are you three doing?" Leonardo stopped right in front of him. The tied turtle gave a strange hiss.

"You dare ask us that?" the voice was strangely sinister and the eyes narrowed on the assassin.

"I dare." The black masked reptile leaned slightly forward smirking. "So you feel like cooperating?"

"WE WILL NEVER COOPERATE WITH YOU!" Now Donatello's voice was angry and snarling. Then he seemed to calm down his face became more frightened.

"P-please… just… I don't… we don't…" he whispered with a much softer voice, a stark contrast to the previous two.

"Look who I brought for a visit." Leonardo ignored completely the split personality show in front of him. He held up the small turtle child that had woken up by the outburst but remained silent. Michelle stared wide eyed at the tied up turtle.

"Who's that?" the sinister voice asked frowning.

"You don't recognize your own daughter?" The assassin faked a surprised look.

"W-w-what?" The soft voice got through this time. Then the frown returned.

"What are you…" But the sinister voice was cut short by the angry one.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY CHILD!"

"Whoa, whoa, temper, temper." The assassin smiled and backed away. Michelle began crying at the sudden loud voices. Leonardo ignored his prisoner for now and began calming her down.

"If you have done anything to April, you are going to regret it," the sinister Donatello hissed.

"Relax; she's going down into my prison cellar. The same one I kept Leonardo in, remember him? Blue mask, uses two katana swords, brother of the Donatello that helped in a way bringing down your empire," the last words were spoken slyly by the assassin. They seemed to get the attention of the chained prisoner.

"You remember Donatello don't you, freed your cyborg brother, who in turn tortured you and has been keeping a careful eye on you?"

"That only happened… that only happened because you planned those events from the beginning," the sinister ex-emperor snapped.

"If my plans had actually worked, you would be emperor over two worlds and I would have been rid of some local annoyance plus having the best training dummy I have ever encountered," the assassin shot back but kept the smile. Michelle had fallen asleep again in his arms.

"Hm, then again if the plan hadn't failed I wouldn't have met her," he then mused.

"What are you talking about?" Donatello raised an eye ridge. Leonardo smiled wide.

"Oh yeah, you see, I was in your world, trying to figure out how to execute my backup plan when I met this lovely young turtle woman," the black clad turtle walked closer.

"I thought you didn't like mammals, if it was a turtle woman, then chances are she used to be a human. And last I checked, humans are mammals," the prisoner grunted earning a laugh from his captor.

"Yeah I know," the assassin shrugged, he tugged Michelle carefully in one arm while examining carefully the black glove on his free hand. The turtle looked back at his prisoner with a sinister smile after a moment.

"Nobody is perfect I'm afraid, I reluctantly admit that even I am not perfect. I am willing to look over that fact of Luna's past, she is obedient and now with a body to die for." Leonardo chuckled. The sinister Donatello seemed to be in control of the body from now on, he was probably the main speaker for the unstable turtle. The former emperor frowned slightly.

"So what back up plan is it that you're talking about," he inquired and didn't like the sadistic smirk coming on the black-clad turtle.

"I have some local annoyance I want to get off my back permanently, originally I was going to have Donny boy depended on me to get back home and force him to help me get rid of them. Now I'm going to play it a little differently," the Assassin Leonardo told him.

"And since I love messing with people's mind, I'm still targeting Donny to execute the new plan," he added.

"Alright I get that, but why do you need me?" the sinister Donatello asked confused.

"You owe me money. I held up my end of the bargain a year ago, I kept Raphael off your back. I figured you could work off your debt by working for me. Besides don't you want a little revenge against Donatello?" Leonardo asked his smile changing into a smirk.

"The thought had crossed my mind," the sinister voice muttered but the former emperor suddenly cringed in pain.

"N-no… I promised to be good… I won't…" the soft voice protested.

"OH SHUT UP YOU LITTLE WHIMP!" the angry one snarled.

"If… you can shut up those two… I will help," the sinister voice broke through, glaring at the assassin. Sweat was pouring from this head as he did a mental struggle to hold control.

"I knew you would see it my way." The assassin chuckled and walked away to a cabinet further inside the room. From there he pulled out a sealed beaker full of yellowish liquid.

"I still have some of that formula you used last time." He walked back to his prisoner holding the beaker. He placed the container on a nearby table.

"It has to be injected," the sinister ex-emperor growled, he was much more visibly struggling now.

"How much?" the black clad turtle picked up a syringe from another cabinet. He glanced at the sleeping child in his arms; it hadn't even stirred at all the movements. Using his only free hand he somehow managed to fill the syringe.

"The content of the syringe…it should be… enough," the chained turtle shook his head.

"No… not again…" the soft voice whispered.

"How do I know it will be you who is in control?" the assassin narrowed his eyes on Donatello as he approached with the syringe.

"Because… that's… how it works," the sinister turtle broke through again and was now breathing very heavily after the mental struggle. "That's… how I… designed it."

Leonardo nodded and using his free hand injected the needle into his prisoner's right arm. Donatello howled in pain, it was not the sinister one; it was the soft voiced one. Then there was a vicious snarl as the angry voice tried to shut him up. Michelle woke up and began wailing. The assassin turned his attention to her and tried to calm her down.

"All right, I'm control now." Donatello's, so to speak, original voice was back. The one the assassin had first heard him talk with. "I trust I can make more with the equipment here."

"If you can't, I will provide it." Leonardo had finally silenced the child. He then began using his free hand to unchain the ex-emperor.

Donatello glanced at his free hands before he began rubbing his wrists one at a time. Taking a deep breath the former ruler of Turtotopia rose up. He glared at his white hospital clothes and then eyed the smirking black clad turtle.

"Hand her over," he snapped and would probably have grabbed the child if the assassin hadn't just been too quick to back away.

"First things first. Let's get this clear, you are no longer an emperor, you are not in charge. You are working for me," Leonardo said shaking a finger towards the other turtle. "I give the orders now."

"I can live with that, if I get my revenge," Donatello grunted narrowing his eyes on the black-wearing reptile.

"You will get your revenge, trust me. But we are doing it this time on my time, I am the one with the plan now." The assassin approached again and offered Michelle to him. The ex-emperor was quick to snatch the sleeping child away from him.

"If I recall you were the one with the plan last time as well and where is April?" he growled while carefully cradling his daughter.

"Ah, you see I know you don't trust me and well I don't really trust you. So I kind of need her to keep you calm. Don't worry though, if you do a good job she won't be harmed:" the assassin shrugged ignoring the first part of the sentence, then he folded his arms narrowing his eyes. "I also have wrestled your cyborg brother under my control. So no funny stuff, I know from personal experience what he is capable of."

"For an assassin you sure make wild plans," Donatello glanced at his employer. "And you sure can afford much."

"My job pays well." Leonardo smirked. They looked over when the door to the lab suddenly opened and the turtle called Michelangelo entered.

"New friend… tied… other friend… watching…" he whispered as he approached the two other turtles.

"Who is that?" the ex-emperor asked frowning. The assassin clasped one hand on Mike's shoulder.

"This is Michelangelo. I was paid to hunt him down in his world and kill him. But I saw potential in him, so I took the money, pretended to kill him and took him here to have him work for me," Leonardo said. Mike was now smiling a sadistic smile.

"And what is that pray tell?" Donatello sneered in disgust, not liking the insanity glowing from the other turtle's eyes.

"Oh he will be essential to our plans for our young doubles," Leonardo explained. Michelangelo began chuckling rather oddly.

"Right," the turtle holding the child muttered liking his co-worker even less.

"Don't let his currently docile stance fool you, he just needs the right encouragement," the assassin chuckled.

"I'll take your word for it," ex-Emperor Donatello grunted.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

"All I know is, I can't trust her," Don sighed in frustration and drank from the mug.

"What makes you feel like that?" April asked from her end of the table. The purple clad turtle was visiting their human friend and sharing his doubts about the female turtle.

"The coincidences are just too many," Donatello leaned slightly forward on the kitchen table. For a moment, he wondered if he should really be discussing this but brushed it off quickly, he needed to talk to somebody outside of the lair.

"First of all, she says she is running away using a dimensional traveler to go randomly between worlds to escape. Then by some strangest stroke of luck she not only hits on our world, she comes directly at a place were we all are. In the junkyard," the ninja shook his head. "I'm not prone to paranoia but this just doesn't sit right with me."

"What about the others?" the woman asked sipping from her container. They were both drinking hot cocoa.

"No," Donatello shook his head in frustration. "By the looks of it they bought her sob story about the bully boyfriend, a classic tale and overused."

"Well, the little I can remember of him…" April shuddered at the memory. "He would be a bully boyfriend."

"April, he is somebody who would probably not bother being the boyfriend. If he wants something, he takes it," Don reminded her; the woman nodded.

"Then there is this, Raph saw the assassin few days ago. If he was tracking Luna like she claims, why would he bother to be to come here and watch us? Leo and Raph have been seeing him many times over the past year."

"Don, have you talked with your brothers or Splinters about this?" April asked getting slightly worried, it was apparent that Donatello was troubled.

"No," he admitted. "Not just yet, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. I could be wrong, I will not deny that."

"I really think you should mention this to at least Splinter," she said. Donatello shook his head and stood up. Rather casually, he walked to the kitchen window and looked out.

"I… there is another thing," he began. "For the past four months, I have been having nightmares, nightmares where sometimes I change into this female turtle. I change into Luna."

"What?" April rose up herself staring confused at her friend.

"April, I fear that we are going into something much heavier than last time." Don glanced back at her with a worried look. "I somehow have this feeling that this time we will not escape from it as easily."

"I wouldn't say we escaped easily last time," the woman muttered. Donatello shrugged and glanced back out of the window. He frowned and leaned closer to it, squinting his eyes too try and see better.

"Something wrong?" The human walked to him laying one hand on his shoulder. Don turned his head towards here with an unsure face.

"I-I don't know," he looked out again. "I could have sworn, on the rooftop… I thought I saw something. Too large to be the assassin, he's about our height."

April looked out of the window but couldn't see anything unusual. They both shrugged and walked back to the table to finish their drinks.

* * *

From the shadow, the creature watched from safe distance when the turtle and the woman disappeared from the window.

 _So, that's his target. Purple mask and all,_ it smiled wickedly.

 _Hm, Leonardo the assassin is after a teenage turtle mutant from this world with some nasty intentions, so that means he will be forced to finally come here eventually and here he has to travel on foot not on that truck._ Carefully the creature glanced back at the window it had seen the turtle and the woman.

 _Good, it's been a while since the two of us played together._ There was soft chuckle.

* * *

"So you guys have to hide down here?" Luna asked curiously.

"Yeah, not all humans might understand us you see. That's also why Master Splinter teaches us to be ninjas, to help us survive," Mikey explained, they were both seated in the couch and the TV was showing a movie.

"We rarely go topside during the day if we can help it, mostly at night," Leo added. He sat in a nearby chair reading a book.

"Then how do you get all this?" Luna gestured around, especially at the electric equipment.

"We can thank Donny for most of it," Raph said from his spot on the couch on the other side of the turtle woman.

"Yeah, he finds something at the junkyard, brings it home and uses his techno magic skills and voila instant luxury," Mikey chuckled. Luna smiled slightly at that.

"Of course he also has to fix it all the time thanks to bonehead over here," Raph grinned gesturing to the orange-clad turtle who took immediate offense.

"Hey, that's not true; you break things just as much as I do." Mikey pointed at Raphael who growled slightly.

"Well if you weren't bugging me all the time then maybe I wouldn't be throwing things at ya," he snapped.

"Guys, please," Leo looked up from the book and saw how nervous the girl was, staring unsure at the arguing turtles.

"Don't worry, they behave like that all the time," he assured her. "Although they could show some manners!"

"Raphael is blaming me for breaking stuff," Mikey complained turning to the blue-masked turtle.

"Well he does," Raph grunted.

"I'm not the one who sticks a Sai in the TV if I see something on the TV I don't like," the younger brother protested.

"Guys!" Leo raised his voice, now all eyes were on him. The leader gestured to Luna. "We have a guest here, if you two can't be civil enough not to argue right in front of her. Take it outside."

"Bah," Raphael muttered and sat back down. Mikey looked around scratching his head, the argument instantly forgotten when he noticed they were lacking one turtle.

"Where did Donny go?" he asked.

"To April's I think," Leo shrugged and sunk back into his book.

"Oooh it's Saturday, maybe she baked cookies." Michelangelo beamed suddenly, jumped away from the couch and ran for the main entrance of the lair. "Man, Don is devious, going like that with out letting his favorite brother know."

"Mikey is his favorite brother?" Raph looked at Leonardo questionably.

"Let him dream," the blue-clad turtle responded.

"Yeah, we all know I'm his favorite," the red-masked one said.

"I beg to differ." Leo raised an eye ridge glancing at his brother. Raphael eyed him unimpressed.

"You seriously don't believe you are his favorite brother?" he challenged; Leonardo put the book down and leaned slightly forward staring at Raph.

"And why should he like you better? Mikey is right, you do your part at breaking some of the things Don has to fix," he argued.

Luna looked at each brother with a confused expression. Her brow rose slightly while trying to figure out the scene in front of her.

 _Right, they are teenagers,_ she thought. Although seeing the two turtles arguing over who was Don's favorite was very strange.

 **End chapter 3**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 25/01 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **2k3 TMNT-World**

 _Racing around the rooftop, racing around the rooftop,_ Mikey hummed to the lyrics going through his head as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop on his way to April's. The turtle just knew that his destination promised a warm welcome and many cookies.

"I sure hope Donny hasn't hogged them all, that sneaky little turtle," the orange-clad ninja mused as he landed on the roof of the building directly in front of April's house.

"Never fear my sweets Mikey is coming!" he stood on the ledge with a dramatic Superman pose and was just about to jump when he heard a chuckle and immediately was aware of a presence behind him.

"Huh?" the turtle swiftly turned half-ready to grab for his nunchakus. There was no one in sight.

"Hello?" he took one step forward while glancing warily around.

"Why hello there," a voice addressed him. It was calm, steady, strangely gentle and in a way almost soothing, but it also had a very alien accent. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"Um that depends on who is asking," Mikey answered wondering where the voice came from. He heard a beep and suddenly out of the shadows came a strange creature.

It stood seven feet tall and looked very fit. Silver-gray fur covered its entire body, even the palms and fingers, encircled around its waist was a belt with rows of canisters and on its middle was a device. The creature's head was mostly wolfish with a long square muzzle. The ears were a bit wider than on a wolf. Its eyes looked to be only red with small oil-black eyeballs.

Mikey gulped wondering if this was a predator and he was the pray. It wore clothes, shorts made of leather and in same color and its fur. It grinned almost smugly.

"Okay, you are new," the turtle commented and stood up straight scratching his head. The creature folded its arms and the grin changed into a smirk.

"Indeed little one, I'm visiting here for a while," it mentioned with a slight careless shrug.

"Really? So what are you exactly?" Mikey pointed at the being questionably.

"My species is called Ulfarians," it said

Mikey nodded and had now hands on his hips. He tilted his head slightly and grinned. Since the Ulfarian had shown no hostility, the turtle guessed he was friendly. "My name is Michelangelo by the way, but you can call me Mikey. What's yours?"

"Sinda," the Ulfarian said and seemed amused that the ninja simply nodded and grinned even wider.

"You know, we shouldn't actually be seen here. You see, guys like us, that is who don't look human enough aren't exactly common here," the turtle said looking around. He jumped startled when the Ulfarian was suddenly beside him.

 _Yikes, he's fast,_ the ninja thought.

"You're right; humans tend to be paranoid when thinking they are all alone in their cozy little world. Quite narrow minded in fact," Sinda looked at Mikey with a nod.

"I was on my way to a friend, one of the few humans who know me and my bros and don't mind us. Wanna come? I'm sure you will be welcome." The turtle offered and jumped up on the ledge the building. He looked at Sinda who was smiling even wider.

"I'm afraid I must decline your offer this time, but maybe we can meet later?" the Ulfarian suggested. "I would like to learn more about this dimension."

"Oh sure, how about right here in few hours. I'm just going to check in on my bro," Mike said. The alien simply nodded and the turtle leaped down and off the building.

"Hm, he was cute and sounded playful," Sinda mused and then cackled. "I would love to destroy him!"

* * *

 **Assassin's world**

April woke up slowly and with a splitting headache, before she could rise up a firm hand held her down.

"Stay still babe," a familiar mechanical voice instructed her.

"Raphael?" she whispered, beside her the mechanical turtle sat and one hand made sure that the woman would not move too much.

"Ssh, don't talk too much just yet," he said, his eyes were fixated on the door that only he could see thanks to his night vision in the mechanical eye.

After a moment, he removed his hand and allowed the woman to sit up. She found that her hands were chained behind the back. She tried to see the turtle but could only see faintly something large beside her.

"What happened? Where is Michelle?" she asked.

"Remember the black clothed Leonardo double I told you about?" The cyborg looked at April and could see her nod. "Well it looks like he has taken us prisoner. He thinks he reprogrammed me and that I serve him. He kidnapped Donatello as well, but he is not here in this cellar though."

"He thinks he reprogrammed you?" the woman questioned confused, Raphael smiled wickedly.

"Yeah, the idiot really thought that I didn't even know about the computer console that's on my back. I disabled it many months ago, at most it only displays a message and I can use it to make people think I have been reprogrammed," the turtle explained. "But I can't do much yet, I need to be repaired and I'm hoping he will be stupid enough to do that. You see he used a special taser like remote on me that can disable me. I'm also hoping to hear more what he's planning. It has something to do with the other Donatello"

"What needs to be repaired?" April asked worried.

"Nothing vital, but some implants in the arms needs to be fixed. Basically all I have is my strength and that will not be enough against him while he has the taser." Raphael sighed. He glanced at the woman again. "But there is another way we can do this but it might prove more difficult and will require more patience. But what we are doing here already is difficult and requires patience."

"What is it?" she asked. April could hear him shuffle, and heard the familiar click when he opened his compartment in the shoulder pad.

"One thing that escaped the taser is my inbuilt transpad. Unfortunately, I could never properly program it so it only sends me to one world and it returns me back to Turtleland. So if I use it I won't be able to return here," he explained.

"Where does it take you?" the woman asked.

"To younger Donatello's world, directly to his warehouse garage. I could enlist his aid and I know he would be fully capable of repairing me if I instruct him, all the technology would exist in his world anyway," Raphael said and looked at his lover. "If you hold me then the transpad energy will take you too, so we can both escape right now. But… but that means leaving Michelle behind here."

"Wh-what?" April gasped. A metallic hand landed gently on her shoulder.

"April, the taser really drained me, I can walk and function mostly as normal but I am far from being able to fight at full force. And while he has that taser he can easily overcome me." he sighed. "And I don't want to leave you here alone."

"Raph if you think you can get help, then go get help. But I can't leave our daughter here," the woman said and tried to smile but the tears crawled down her cheeks.

"I-I can't leave you here," Raph protested.

"Raph get help, warn them. You probably know enough to put them on full alert," April whispered. The cyborg stared at her for a moment but then shifted his gaze to the remote.

The woman felt the cold metal of his fingers on her cheek as he dried her tears. Then he gently squeezed her shoulder just before standing up. She could just barely see where turtle now stood right in front of her.

"April… I'll be back. As soon as I can," he said before activating the remote.

* * *

"Sssh, there, there my little princess," Donatello soothed the child in his arms. Michelle was wailing and had been at it for few minutes. Interestingly enough her father didn't appear to grow impatience. The girl stopped crying and stared now wide eyed at the turtle holding her. He smiled at her.

"That's my girl. You are just as beautiful as your mother is. Even if you got most of my genes." He gently put the girl in the cradle that had been brought into the lab.

"Can we then go back to business?" the assassin was leaning up against a wall but stood straight once it was apparent that the baby was falling asleep.

"So what is it exactly we are going to do?" the ex-overlord asked as he turned away from his now sleeping daughter. "In fact I'm still trying to understand why you need to go through all this trouble to take care of a quartet of teenagers and a rat."

"A quartet of teenagers who just happen to be almost unbeatable when working together along with their rat sensei, they are like a well oiled fighting machine when five are united together. Trust me on this, I have been monitoring them for a reason and learned interesting facts about them," Leonardo stated with arms folded. Donatello stared at him unimpressed.

"Besides they are not actually my targets, we are using them and especially Donny as bait," he continued.

"All right, all right what's the plan?" Donatello asked.

"Already my girl has infiltrated the lair. She will provide them with some false information; lull them into false sense of security. Then we'll need to cause enough distraction that they separate," Leonardo explained and unfolded his arms to make emphasizing gestures with his hands.

"I'm still working on how to get the local annoyance attention and need to do it soon. For this to really work I need them there too." The black-masked turtle rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"What is this local annoyance you keep blabbering on about," Donatello growled but before his employer could answer, Tony came running in.

"Sir, the cyborg has disappeared," he shouted.

"What?" the assassin growled and looked at his servant who instantly bowed his head.

"Sir, I went to check on the prisoner and the cyborg was not there like it was supposed to be," the human reported. Leonardo snarled, grabbed the taser from his belt and stalked out of the lab. Tony followed him but Donatello stayed in the lab.

"It looks like Raphael had a few surprises up his sleeve," the ex-emperor muttered while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He turned his attention to his daughter, gently caressing her bald head.

"That, Michelle, is what we call a chink in the plan. Your uncle is very good at them," he told the sleeping child.

* * *

"Where is he?" Leonardo violently pulled April up to her feet, but the woman refused to say a word.

"Answer me bitch!" the assassin shouted and slapped her. From behind Mike sniggered but Tony just stood in silent observation.

When April still didn't answer the turtle threw her back down. She landed on her chained hands and grimaced at the pain. Her captor stood over her seething like a rapid dog.

"If you don't talk I will bring your daughter down here and you can watch her die as I use her to determine how sharp my katana is," his chilly voice threatened. The woman froze and stared at him with mix of shock and horror.

"You wouldn't," she whispered. Leonardo bent down to stare at her straight in the face.

"Try me," he challenged and rose up again. The black clad turtle snapped his fingers when April didn't answer and Tony stepped up beside him.

"Tony, get her daughter and my sharpening stone," he ordered. Tony bowed and turned to carry out the order.

"No… please," April shouted seeing that the threat would be carried out. Leonardo simply folded his arms smirking.

"Okay he's gone, he can transport. He transported out of here," the woman shouted when Tony was just about to go out the doorway.

"Stop Tony, she's talking after all," the assassin ordered. The human complied and returned into the cellar.

Leonardo crouched in front of the woman and his eyes narrowed on her while he was thinking.

"Let me guess, I never had him under my control. He just played along," he said. The woman closed her eyes and nodded. The assassin sighed heavily.

"Well there goes that part of the plan, I guess he'll try and contact the teenage Donatello and warn him. If he hasn't already, so much for having Luna give them false information," he stood up again and turned away.

"Michelangelo," the assassin glanced at the other turtle. "She is not a friend. She has made the other friend go. Punish her but don't kill her."

Michelangelo's face changed instantly, sporting now a sneer. The turtle snarled and began advancing towards April. Leonardo began walking out of the cellar. He motioned to Tony to leave as well and the human didn't hesitate to do so.

The assassin had hardly closed the door to the cellar when April screamed. The black clad turtle smirked again and grabbed for this dimension traveler.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

"Man, April sure knows how to make cookies," Mikey sighed happily and patted his stomach.

"Yeah, good thing I got there before you came or I wouldn't have a chance to get one." Don grinned as he landed beside his brother. They were both rushing back home leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

"Yeah that was pretty sneaky of you," Mike called after him just as he realized that he had forgotten something.

"Oh shot, Don. I remembered I had to go somewhere," he called and quickly ran back the way they had come.

"Wait where are you going?" Don called but was too late his orange-clad brother was gone. "Odd that is not like Mikey."

Too curious he went into the direction Mike had gone into; it looked like the younger ninja was returning to April's. Donatello frowned wondering even more what his brother was up too.

He halted on one rooftop, safely concealed by a shadow as the intelligent turtle thought it over. It was very likely that Mike was just going to meet one of his superhero friends. Don decided that whatever Mikey was up to, he could ask later and decided to head back home.

Don was almost on his way out of the concealing shadow when he noticed something opening nearby. Glancing towards it he froze when he saw the black portal, it was too familiar.

 _Oh no._ He pressed himself up against the wall as the black clad turtle came through the gateway.

The assassin stood only few feet away from him and was placing his traveler on the utility belt, so far he hadn't noticed the ninja and walked few steps away. Donatello watched, trying not to do anything that could give his position away. Leonardo's double seemed to be determining were exactly he was.

"Hm, not far away from that place," he heard him mutter. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and his brow sunk in a frown. Slowly the assassin turned, Don gulped when seeing the suspicion crawl over his face.

 _He knows he's not alone._ Don wasn't as confidence to attack this time. The assassin was alert and ready.

Suddenly Assassin Leonardo picked up a dart gun from his utility belt and swiftly disappeared into a darker part of the rooftop, completely vanishing from view.

 _He is going to find me if I stay here._ Donatello carefully grabbed his Bo staff, the ninja leaped out of his hiding place and prepared for anything.

When nothing happened, he instantly made a dash for the ledge and prepared to jump over to the next rooftop. As he was flying over, something pricked him in the back of the neck. Don started to feel dizzy and when the other building on the rooftop closed in, he couldn't land properly and instead landed harshly on his side and rolled a bit on the pavement. Then fell asleep.

Leonardo the assassin landed right next to the unconscious turtle with a huge grin. He turned Don so he lay on the back.

"Thought it was you," he said chuckling. "Looks like I won't have to…"

"Oh no you don't!" Suddenly Michelangelo came leaping and landed a surprise kick on the black clad turtle who was flung backwards.

The assassin didn't lose his bearing, did a flip and landed in a crouching position with one hand on his katana. He instantly drew up his sword and glared at the orange clad turtle that stood over his fallen brother swirling his nunchaku.

"You are not doing anything too my brother, not if I can help it," Mike shouted.

"Like I'm going to…" Leonardo stopped short and rose up. His angry frown changed into a shock, he was no longer staring at Mike but the shape that had just landed on the ledge behind the turtles.

 _Good lord no!_ He gulped as the wolfish creature stood up straight. Mikey glanced back at the Ulfarian who was staring straight at the black clad turtle, grinning madly.

"You two know each other?" the orange masked one asked.

"Hello Leo," Sinda crooned and swiftly drew up knives from two canisters. Mike raised an eye ridge in surprise at the speed the alien utilized. However, his surprise grew even more when looking back at the black-clad turtle.

The assassin stood there frozen in position, his breathing was frantic and he just stared horrified at Sinda. Then he snapped out of it, swiftly sheathed his sword and grabbed for his dimension traveler. He quickly operated it and jumped through the still forming portal.

"Wow, he was scared out of his shell?" Mike was impressed and looked at Sinda who holstered his knives. The alien looked at the turtle.

"Probably just surprised to see me so suddenly," he stated simply with a shrug. "Now let's get your brother home, our tour will have to wait."

"Yeah, I guess." Mike knelt down and prepared to hold Don but the Ulfarian picked the turtle up easily and flung him over his shoulder. The orange-clad turtle stood up slack jawed at the strength of the alien.

"Uh ok, um home this way." Mike pointed and leaped away. Sinda followed holding Donatello firmly and sported now a devious smirk.

 _That was priceless; this is just going to be so much fun. Thanks Leo,_ the Ulfarian thought and had to restrain a mad chuckle from emerging.

* * *

Donatello woke up with a start and rose abruptly from his bed. Then he realized it wasn't his bed, he was lying on the couch back in the lair.

"Hey Don is awake." Mike came bouncing into view followed by Splinter, Leo, Raph and, Donatello's eyes widened in surprise, cyborg Raphael.

"Uh… what are you doing here?" he asked the mechanical turtle.

"He came to warn us, the assassin is on the move against us," Leo explained.

"Yeah I know. He attacked me." Don rubbed the back of his neck where the dart had hit him.

"Yes, Mikey told us about it," Raph told him.

"I don't know the full extend of his plan," the cyborg stated. "All I know is that he got my Donatello, and another version of Michelangelo who doesn't seem to be quite with it. He as well seems to have a human servant named Tony. I do know that he is definitely still after you Don."

"But why?" Donatello asked standing up looking around. "What is so important about me? Say, where is Luna?"

"And who is that?" The purple clad turtle pointed at the Ulfarian who was standing on the bridge over the pool, glancing casually around.

"Apparently somebody who the assassin isn't terribly fond of." Leo stood behind Don now. "My double bolted when he appeared, according to Mike, he was deadly afraid of him."

"Now what kind of a person would make somebody as skilled as the assassin afraid?" Don mused but he frowned once more and asked again. "Where is Luna?"

 **End Chapter 4**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 24/02 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Assassin's world**

Leonardo raced through the hallway and flung up the door leading to the lab. He found the ex-emperor where he was mixing chemicals in one of the far corners. The assassin immediately rushed to the turtle that had paid no attention to his entrance.

"We have a serious problem on our hand. How fast can you whip up a motion tracker or goggles that can see body warmth?" Leonardo asked stopping few feet behind Donatello with arms folded.

"What?" the former emperor turned his head, glancing at his employer. The assassin growled.

"There is a serious dent in the plan, there is a new player and trust me on this, we want motion trackers or something to see body heat with," he snapped. Unfazed the ex-emperor turned around.

"I would have thought someone like you already had such equipment," he said.

"My motion tracker only works after I plant a chip on my target, I need a tracker that is not limited by that because I might not get a chance to plant a chip on the target," Leonardo snapped again. "Well can you do it or not?"

"If you tell me why we need it?" Donatello snarled. Leonardo huffed and put his hands on the hips, for a moment he stared at the floor before looking up again narrowing his eyes on the other turtle.

"Let's just say that an old 'friend' is now in the world were the teenagers are and he has apparently allied himself with them. I can't imagine how or why, this guy isn't exactly famous for allying himself with others. Anyway, this guy is bad news for anybody and the best part is, he comes from a very advanced world. He can cloak himself," the assassin explained.

"When you say 'old friend' you mean bitter enemy don't you?" Donatello smirked. The assassin scowled at him.

"I'm not his enemy by choice!" he snapped and turned swiftly around and left the lab. The ex-emperor raised an eye ridge.

 _Interesting._ He stroke his chin thoughtfully.

Meanwhile the assassin had reached another room, much bigger. Various types of targets, riddled with bullet holes were up against the walls. There were training dummies and punching bags, but in the middle of the floor was a wide-open area. There Leonardo stood now with his single black handled katana.

He took a deep breath and began an exercise, swiftly punching, kicking, slicing and slashing into thin air. Each move was more aggressive than the previous one. Once the kata had reached its peaks his face disfigured in a grimace as if he was in pain and the turtle was on the verge of roaring.

Finally, with a scream, he turned and slashed his sword downwards. It stopped just as it was about to slice into Tony's head. The human didn't even blink, just stared at his master calmly.

"Tony, sometimes I think you're the only one I can trust and rely on," he said with his chilly voice. His servant made no comment. Leonardo stood up straight and sheathed his sword.

"We have a problem Tony, remember Sinda?" the black clad turtle asked and wasn't surprised that the young man actually showed a hint of fear on his face.

"I believe it was the time we first met wasn't it?" the assassin folded his arms while regarding his servant who nodded silently.

"Well, it appears the psycho bastard has finally spotted us. He's on the world with the teenagers and…" Leonardo stopped short. "Oh fuck! He's in the same dimension and Luna!"

He almost grabbed for his traveler but stopped to think. He glanced at his servant who looked much more nervous now.

"Hope she got the brain to book, she knows her plan B if plan A fails," he muttered.

It was like on cue, the door to the training room swung open and Luna came running in. The black clad turtle and the human turned to face her as the female turtle fell to her knees in front of Leonardo.

"I'msorrysorrysorry," she whined and buried her face on the floor. "I panicked and left when that robot turtle suddenly appeared in the lair and told them that you were up to something."

The assassin stared down at the groveling female turtle. She continued to beg and apologize, in one hand she held her dimensional traveler. Leonardo crouched, grabbed the device from her and then rose. Ignoring her, the black clad turtle punched few buttons on the traveler and smiled when seeing what appeared on the screen.

"Perfect, that's one part of the plan saved," he said. Luna stopped begging and glanced carefully up.

"Y-you mean…," she stammered. Leonardo bent down, grabbed her right arm and pulled the young woman up.

"You saved your face this time, your traveler has the coordinates I need," he told her snaking both arms around her waist and pulled the female turtle closer.

"Bu-but your plan," Luna had both her hands up against his shirt-covered plastron and still stared at him fearfully. The assassin was smiling almost devilishly.

"I am going to have to rethink a few things yes, but that's just part of the process. Plans change, shit happens." The black clad turtle moved one hand from her carapace and to the back of her neck. Rather forcefully, he pushed her even closer and kissed her on the cheek.

"Then there was also this silver gray wolfoid that came, who was that?" Luna whispered trying to ignore the forceful embrace she was in.

"Don't worry about him," Leonardo growled and kissed her hard on the lips. He then let her go. The woman staggered back a bit at the sudden release. The assassin watched her with a smirk.

"Man, remind me to never send you away again, last night was very lonely," he said with a wink as the assassin turned to Tony again. "Tony, go and get Michelangelo before he kills our prisoner. Not sure if he understood the no kill command."

The human bowed and left the room. Leonardo put Luna's traveler on his utility belt and then faced the woman who just stood nearby rubbing her arms nervously.

"Now since our original plan was busted, you might as well tell me what you managed to learn the short time you were there," the assassin said walking closer to the female turtle.

"Well… they are just kids," Luna said and winched when Leonardo scowled.

"Let me rephrase that, tell me what you managed to learn from them what I DON'T know," he snapped.

"Well the two who I think are the oldest have often worried that you were up to something. They weren't terribly surprised to learn from the robot turtle that you were. So they have been expecting something from you, but they don't know what yet, although they suspect you are after their brother Donatello," Luna told him. The assassin lifted up his hands and motioned to her to continue but when the female just put an unsure face he growled in frustration.

"That's all?" he glared at the turtle woman who squirmed at the gaze and hardly dared to nod.

"Not very useful." The black clad turtle shook his head and began pacing around. "Well they don't know my real plan. That could give us an advantage."

"On the other hand they now have the cyborg." Leonardo stopped pacing for a moment. "And on top of that an old enemy has shown up."

 _If worse comes to worse… I might have another way to get him off my back…_ they looked to the doorway when the door opened and Tony came in looking to be in a hurry. The human walked straight to his master and bowed.

"Sir… your brother is at the door," he said. Luna raised her eye ridges in surprise then glanced at Leonardo who stared at Tony as if he had just insulted him.

"My… my brother?" the assassin growled, he pushed past the human and stalked out of the training room. On his way to the front door, he met with Michelangelo.

"Friend… no time," he whispered.

"Just a second, I have some garbage to dispose of," Leonardo snarled and was about to continue when he suddenly had a thought. The turtle glanced at the insane mutant thoughtfully before eyeing in the direction he had been going on.

"Come with my Mike but keep a distance, you understand me? Be at a distance," he told him. Then he continued his way and resumed his angry scowl.

The assassin walked down the large stairway, saw that the double doors leading into the Mansion were open and in the doorway stood a turtle. This one was bluish-green in color, had an orange mask, orange knee and elbow pads. He wore shorts, silver in color and a gray sleeveless vest. A belt encircled his waist and on it were a pair of nunchaku.

"Hey Leo," the turtle said rather dryly when the black clad one came down.

"There is no Leo here," the assassin growled and had one hand on his sheathed katana. "What do you want?"

"Peace in the universe, my brother back, you know, the things that ain't happening," the orange masked turtle said flatly with his arms folded. Leonardo stopped at the bottom of the stairs and sneered.

"Well he isn't here, at least not the one you want," the assassin growled taking a step closer and sword half drawn up. "I think you better leave Michelangelo."

"Killing people for money. Hunting people down like animals. You used to be better than that," Michelangelo commented.

"Better? I was a fool, a young teenage fool. What good did it all do back then huh? Nothing, we just got enemies, more and more enemies that wanted to destroy us. Well if I am to have enemies, I am going to be willing to retaliate with blood," Leonardo snapped and now fully drew up the sword. "And if you have nothing better to do than waste my time then you had better leave."

"Leo please, sensei is dying…"

"He is not my sensei any longer; I want nothing to do with that stupid rat!" Leonardo snarled and now approached with sword ready. Michelangelo put his hands on the nunchaku.

"He used to be so proud of you. You were his most gifted student," the orange-masked turtle whispered.

"Not anymore." The assassin jumped and got ready to hew. Michelangelo stepped back swung up his own weapon and used them to block the katana strike.

"Leo, I know you are still there. I just know it, I don't know what came over you but I hope I get through one day," he said just before he backed out of the door. Leonardo only stood still holding the Katana, glaring at the retreating turtle. Michelangelo disappeared into a sports car and drove off after the road leading away from the mansion.

"New…friend?" the other Michelangelo asked when seeing the assassin walking back up the stairs. But the black-clad reptile was smirking now deviously.

"No, that was what I needed to alert my true targets," he said, the smirk morphed into an evil grin.

* * *

Some distance a way in the red sports car, Michelangelo drove down the road. His brow sunk in a heavy frown. One hand was on the steering wheel but the other was resting on the open window frame.

After a moment he picked up a cell phone and dialed a number, he put the phone back in the stand and put the hand-free headset on his head. Shortly later a gruff voice answered.

"Mike is that you?"

"Yes Raphael, it's me," the orange-clad turtle said with a sigh.

"Where are you bro? Sensei is asking for you."

"You know where I was," Michelangelo retorted. There was a silence for a moment.

"Mikey," Raphael said tiredly.

"Yes I know I'm sorry. I just had to." The driving turtle shook his head. "I just want my brother back"

"We lost him ten years ago Mike, he gave up on us, he fell," the turtle on the other line said. Mike grunted.

"But I want him back too."

"But our source was right. He's up to something; I spotted an AU in his house. An AU of me," Michelangelo then explained. "Looked strange, not quite with it."

"Oh great," Raphael groaned. "I'll call Don.

"He's going to kill us," the orange-masked turtle grunted.

"Look Mikey, we promised to keep things in check here. If he's been messing around in AU worlds then it is up to us to stop him," the other turtle reminded him. "It's high time we get our shells into gear. We have been slacking off in this particular area. Well except for Don."

Michelangelo didn't say much, just snorted. The turtle on the other line heard it.

"You used to laugh Mikey, what happened to your laughter?"

"It died," the orange masked turtle growled. "It died alongside Leonardo's ethics."

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

"She's gone," Leo reported after the turtles had done a quick search all over the lair.

"Luna? Was that the female turtle that was here when I came?" the cyborg asked and got positive nods from the younger reptiles.

"And I think I know why," Donatello stated and sat down on the couch. Everybody looked at him. "She ran off when Raphael revealed that the assassin is on the move. He ruined whatever she was supposed to do when he came and warned us."

"You think she was working for him?" Leonardo asked. The purple clad turtle glared at him.

"It's quite obvious you know Leo. She just happens to stumble up on us while on the run from somebody we happen to know, comes with the classic story about the bully boyfriend and naturally tries to refuse aid when offered. I did talk with her this morning; she is still in love with him. To much to be on the run," Don shook his head and rose up again. He turned to see where Sinda still stood on the bridge.

"And what is your story with him exactly?" he asked with a heavy frown. The wolfish alien glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, the Ulfarian looked amused.

"Leo and I go way back, used to 'play' together," Sinda answered, his smile unnerved Donatello.

The cyborg narrowed his organic eye on the wolfoid; there was something about that alien he didn't like. His sensors that were still functional could detect metal in the canisters that were on his belt, many knives. He remembered when Mikey told them how the creature had drawn up two from the canisters. The mechanical turtle could only wonder why this alien had so many?

"Can you give us any more information on him? I guess we must start plan some defenses before he strikes," Leo addressed the Ulfarian.

"My knowledge about him is fairly limited I'm afraid." Sinda shrugged carelessly. "What I do know, he used to be like you."

"Huh?" Leonardo was quite startled to hear that, now Sinda had everybody's attention.

"Yeah, what I have gathered is that his life wasn't that much different from how yours is now, he had or still has brothers like you and his teacher used to be a humanoid rat." The Ulfarian glanced at Splinter. The old ninja master's brow sunk into heavy thought.

"Something happened; he snapped and turned into who he is today." Sinda smiled deviously, it was almost as if he knew exactly what this something was.

"But, from what we gathered, he has a deep rooted hatred for mammals, if his sensei was Splinter's counterpart, then his distaste for mammals is recent for him. It isn't really a part of his personality," Don scratched his head. "Although of course stranger things have happened."

"Look, whether he used to be like Leo or not is not important. What is important is that he is on the move and we need to be prepared," Raph growled twirling his Sai.

"He has my brother and if he stabilizes him, then he has a genius inventor at his disposal. He could throw something heavy at you," the cyborg added in. He turned to Donatello. "I need some repairs that I can't do on my own; if you can get me full battle ready, then you at least have a head start on him regarding heavy fire power."

"Ok, I can help you with the repairs," the purple-clad turtle offered. The mechanical one nodded with a smile on his organic part of the face.

"Sinda, we thank you for your assistance in helping Donatello when he was attacked. We will not ask you any further to assist us, but if you could keep a look out for us," Leo addressed the Ulfarian.

"Oh, it will be my pleasure." Sinda grinned wide. "In fact tell you what. If you can give me some sort of a communicator, I can be on a constant patrol up on the city rooftops. I'm used to working alone and I would be of much greater assistance that way. Beside if Leonardo thinks I am on the move, he might be more reluctant to show as unexpected as he did tonight."

Leo looked at Raph who shrugged. The blue-masked turtle turned to Splinter who hesitated before finally nodding. Leonardo picked up his shell-cell and threw it to the Ulfarian who caught it.

"This works kind of like a phone, but the numbers you need are on the speed dial," the turtle explained. Sinda simply nodded, he jumped off the bridge and headed towards the elevator.

"Maybe I should go with him, you know in case he needs help," Mikey offered.

"No, Raph you go with him." Leo held out a hand to stop his orange-clad brother. Raphael nodded and followed Sinda to the elevator.

"Come on, let's go to my workspace," Don motioned to the cyborg to follow him. The mechanical turtle hadn't taken his eyes off the elevator once it closed.

"I don't want to sound like I'm paranoid but I don't trust that wolf or whatever he is," Cyborg Raphael grunted as he followed the purple clad turtle.

"Well, he does scare the assassin and he might just be what we need to get rid of him." Don shrugged. "So what is that needs to be repaired and how do I repair it."

"Don't worry; I'll talk you through it, mostly the equipment in my arms that needs to be fixed. All my vital components are fully functional," Raphael used one metal hand to bang lightly his plastron.

"Ok, so um do you feel anything in those arms?" Don looked at the steel limbs critically; he frowned when seeing the mischievous glint come on the cyborg.

"When they are hooked to my shoulder then yes I do have some feelings in them," he said with grin on his organic half of the face.

"When they are hoo… you mean they are detachable?" Donatello's jaw dropped, Raphael nodded.

"Which is why I can't repair them on my own, they need to be removed to be repaired," the mechanical turtle explained.

Donatello walked all the way too him and began examining the right shoulder and were the arm met it. He couldn't see how it was connected to the turtle. He looked rather helplessly at the cyborg who grinned even wider.

"Ok, I have shut down everything in the right arm, what you have to do now is, twist it off. When everything turned off in the arm there is only a lock in the joints that holds it in its place," Raphael explained.

 _Twist it off? Easy for you to say._ The olive green ninja grimaced but put both hands on the mechanical arm. Then he tried turning it counterclockwise and instantly heard something click in the joint. The arm came off and Don was shocked to learn how heavy it was and almost dropped it to the ground. The cyborg grabbed his detached limb with the left hand to help Donatello.

"We'll just take on arm at a time shall we?" The cyborg grinned and Don nodded in agreement. They carried the arm to a worktable and laid it there.

"Why can't you use the left arm to repair it?" the ninja remembered that the cyborg's left had had the small repair arms.

"You can thank my brother for that. He made me depended on others for certain repairs, besides that blasted taser the assassin used on me busted the repair arms," Raphael growled and shook his head.

"As well some of the more delicate repair works can't be done with these metallic butterfingers." The cyborg lifted his left arm and waved his three steel fingers.

"Have you considered that you might have a programming command in you that makes you think that?" Don asked while gathering the tools needed for the repairs.

"What do you mean?" the cyborg asked frowning.

"Well, it doesn't really make sense that with your repair arms that you can't use them to repair yourself. Especially since you have the knowledge how to do it," the younger turtle explained.

"Well… half my brain is just a one big computer now so… that could make sense but how would I find out? It is probably hidden in whatever makes the computer inside of me work," Raphael shrugged.

"You can hook up to computers; maybe I can find it and change it. I mean it would save you a lot of trouble if you can make repairs yourself," Donatello said.

"Sure, why not. Let's do it when my arms are finished thought, I need them to hook to a computer." the mechanical turtle nodded. He then pointed at a small hatch on the arm on the bench. "You begin by opening that hatch; it has the locking mechanism you need to unlock to open the arm completely."

 **End chapter 5**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 05/03 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Assassin's world**

"Alright, here is the deal. The teenagers have the advantage on us and know we are on the move," the assassin growled. He, Mad-Michelangelo and ex-Emperor Donatello were once again gathered in the lab.

"They have my brother on their side, meaning they pretty much have a tank in their artillery," Donatello said while rubbing his forehead tiredly.

"And then there is Sinda." Leonardo gritted his teeth. The ex-emperor stared at him slightly confused.

"Sinda?" he asked. "That the new player you spoke of?"

"Yes. He's crazier than him," he snorted motioning to Michelangelo. "A psychopathic serial killer. It's not pretty what he can do. He's a deadly martial art fighter, can throw his knifes at such deadly accuracy you barely have time to duck. He can also fight just as well with them in close combat. On top of that, due to his species, he's many times stronger than most of us, and unfortunately he is also very quick and agile."

"And you tangled with that maniac how?" Donatello asked but had now a mocking smirk.

"I… I was a newbie in the assassination business. I was offered a contract to kill him. Some other assassins told me that I shouldn't take it, no matter how good the price was. The last assassin who had tried to kill Sinda had ended crucified on a billboard with his guts torn out," Leonardo told them strangely quickly waving one hand dismissively.

"Ew," the ex-emperor uttered.

"Told you he was mad," Leonardo shook his head. "So while he is on the teenager's side we have a problem. And he is probably going to stay on their side until… he gets me."

"So I take it that you are going to change the plans or make new ones?" Donatello inquired.

"Only slight modification but we must act quicker than I would have liked. We can't go up against four of them at once plus the cyborg and potentially Sinda we need to divert their attention," the assassin said. He looked at the ex-emperor.

"What kind of weaponry or traps can you whip up in few days?" he asked.

"Depends what you want, how much you want and how much material I have to build it," was the answer. Leonardo unfolded his arms and placed them on the hips as he was thinking.

"Then I think it's time we deploy our distraction. Mike, you come with me to the weapon's room," the assassin said. "And I better have Luna check on our prisoner"

"Wait did you say Luna?" Donatello frowned when hearing the name. "I have heard you say that name before…"

"That's the name of my girl," Leonardo said while he was gesturing Michelangelo to follow out of the lab.

 _A turtle girl from Turtleland named Luna._ the ex-emperor suddenly smiled deviously as he watched the two turtles leave the room. _I wonder if it is her._

* * *

April winced at the stinging pain in the neck when she tried to look up. The cellar door was opening and she just barely made out what looked like a turtle sneaking in.

"Who are you?" the woman whispered when a small lamp lit up. She could see a turtle woman standing by the table the light source stood on.

"My name is Luna," she answered simply. The turtle grimaced slightly at the sight. April was all bloody and bruised; the whole left side of her face was pretty much blue and black. There were scratch marks on her arms and her clothes hung torn on her body.

"I take it you work for my captor," April grunted and looked away from the turtle, missing the guilty look forming on Luna.

"I brought you some food," she said, fidgeting slightly with a tray on the table.

"I'm not hungry," the human grunted and tried the best she could to turn away.

"You should eat, otherwise he will just come down her and force feed you. He has done that with prisoners before," Luna explained.

"How can you work for him?" April sneered. The turtle woman didn't answer, she simply picked up the tray and put it on the floor were the human could reach it.

"I can't set your hands free unfortunately," Luna said while backing away. "I don't have the keys."

April glanced at the tray and then at the turtle. She snorted while muttering something in a low voice. Suddenly the woman looked at the door, had that been her imagination or had it opened and shut again quickly?

The lamp suddenly turned off putting the room in complete darkness. April heard Luna gasp.

"W-what are you doing here?" she whispered. Strangely enough, there was no answer, not a single sound.

"No… you have to go, it's too dangerous," the turtle woman protested.

 _What the?_ The human frowned, she was clearly talking to somebody but whoever it was didn't say a single word. Yet Luna seemed to be able to talk with him or her.

"I-I don't know… well it's something to do with teenagers. Teenage turtles in another reality," she spoke in a low voice but April could still hear her.

"Well I'm not sure, talked something about a training dummy, I don't know. He has this strange turtle mutant working for him, I don't know how he fits in and then he also kidnapped the one who mutated me," Luna continued. "They are working together now."

"Yeah, I have the coordinates. 10zB 12Rz2000."

 _She is giving information to somebody?_ April's brow rose in surprise and shock.

"Now please g…" her voice silenced suddenly. The human could have sworn she heard a slight moan.

"Ok go now," Luna whispered. April listened attentively now and could have sworn she heard light footsteps. Then the door opened and she just missed something go through extremely quickly and close the door.

"Ok, what was that?" she asked.

"What was what?" The turtle turned on the lamp again. "I'll leave the light on for you and then turn it off when I return for the tray."

Before April could protest, the turtle was already on her way to the door and left the cellar. The human shook her head in surprise and confusion. What on earth had she just witnessed?

* * *

"What this… new…toys?" Michelangelo muttered, on each hand was now a gauntlet. Both gauntlets had two metal claws. He posed them threateningly and pretended to attack somebody with them.

"Yes new toys," the assassin said while he examined his katana.

"We… play?" the mad turtle inquired, looking now at the assassin.

"Yes we play, with some mean people who hurt our friends," Leonardo sheathed his katana once more. The face on Mad Mike changed into angry scowl.

"Take them down Mike, they are not friends, attack them," the assassin ordered and opened a portal with his dimension traveler. With a growl the mad turtle jumped through.

"Ok the distraction has been sent off," the assassin chuckled and walked to one of the big windows in the weapon room.

"How will he serve as a distraction sir?" Tony asked were he had been obediently waiting by the doorway.

"Remember when I went to hunt him?" Leonardo looked at his servant who nodded.

"It took me three days just to locate him and even when I located him it took me almost a week to bring him down, he managed to elude my darts and other traps," the assassin chuckled. "The mad-sewer monster of New York, that's what they called him in his world. Rumors of a mad monster haunting the sewers, people disappeared if they went down there. Sewer workers carried firearms for protection."

"A secret organization that claimed to protect the earth, managed to contact other worlds for aid. I was contacted as I am a very well known in the bounty hunter business and I was paid to catch him." Leonardo walked away from the window and was thoughtful as he recalled his encounter with the mad turtle.

"I have to admit that first I just thought he was a freak mutation, he wasn't a mutant like me. When I finally confronted him in his old lair, I realized that he was just yet another alternative mutant turtle. His lair looked close to the old lair I lived in many years ago, just his was trashed and he was alone… sort of." The assassin stopped by a large closet with glass doors. It was a trophy closet and the assassin opened it and began looking through all the items in it.

"He had lost his family, either by accident or slain by enemies. He was the only survivor and it eventually drove him mad. He began stalking the sewers, constantly looking for something to quell his loneliness." Leonardo picked up a skewered belt that had a round buckle on it with the letter L. The assassin smirked and put the item back.

"You should have seen all the piles of human bones and decaying bodies in the lair, guess where all the people who disappeared went? All into his lair, to be his pets or friends." Leonardo was now holding a bandanna that went over the head; it could also be used as a mask and was blue in color. Tony was gulping at the thought of Mad-Mike's home.

"When I got there and proceeded to capture him, there was still one human alive. Young man I think, but he had snapped. He was all bloody and with both legs broken. Mike was playing nice with him when I came, talking with him and feeding him. Well I decided to put the guy out of his misery." the assassin pulled his rifle off from his back. Using only one hand aimed it at a target that hung above the door. He fired a single shot and it went straight for the bulls-eye.

"Clean headshot, the guy died instantly. Michelangelo hardly even realized what was going on since I had used a silencer on the rifle, the human was already blood soaked so he hardly noticed the new wound." The black clad turtle holstered the rifle and put the blue mask back in the trophy case.

"I thought he would go nuts, but instead he crawled into a corner and began crying like a baby." He closed the closet and walked towards Tony. He smiled deviously.

"So naturally I decided to step in as his new best friend. I saw a potential in him for my back up plan with the teenagers." Leonardo stopped in the doorway and looked at his human servant. "But he will be of no other use than a distraction. He's too far out to be able to do anything else. Despite his insanity he is not easy to just take down like that as I myself found out when hunting him. The others will have plenty of trouble with him and that's how he'll distract them."

They left the weapon's room; a small smile was creeping on Leonardo's beak. _If people only knew how perfectly things actually are going, despite few setbacks._

* * *

Luna walked up the stairs leading to the second floor and soon found herself in the long hallway. She smiled slightly at all the portraits of Leonardo on the walls and shook her head.

 _He sure does love his looks,_ she thought with a chuckle. Her smile dropped as she carefully crept past the doors she knew led into the lab. But the turtle didn't notice that they were open a crack, suddenly an olive green three fingered hand shot out grabbed her wrist and pulled the woman in.

Before Luna knew it, she had been slammed up against a wall and was pinned there. The ex-emperor held one hand over her mouth and smiled wickedly.

"So it is you," he said. The woman stared back wide-eyed and trembling. "Well I must admit Leonardo does have a good taste in women."

"Yeah good, you remember me." The former emperor spotted the recognition in her eyes, chuckled slightly and leaned closer towards her. "Because I sure remember you."

"Come." he let go of her beak and as the male turtle stepped away, he snaked one arm around her. "Come meet your daughter."

"M-m-my…" Luna whispered startled. The ex-emperor laughed and led her towards the cradle where Michelle lay in.

"You don't think a child could be that perfectly like one parent, especially if they come from mixed species did you?" Donatello grinned wide and shoved the turtle woman towards the cradle. "No, April was just a carrier for the embryo. You on the other hand are the generous donor of the egg."

"Y-you took my egg?" Luna whispered. She was staring shocked down at the sleeping turtle child. Michelle was sucking a corner of her blanket in her peaceful slumber.

"I did that with many of the women I personally mutated into turtles, just in case. You on the other hand were a bit special." the ex-emperor walked closer and caressed Luna's cheek gently.

"You were the only woman to mutate with my skin tone, olive green-brown. You used to be in so pale pinkish color with your dyed hair. I don't recall your natural hair color." he patted her bald scalp. "I'm sure you miss it don't you."

"She's beautiful," the turtle woman whispered almost dazed. She hardly noticed Donatello touching her.

"Yes, the first successful child, between an actual mutant turtle and a human who had been mutated into a turtle. She has no birth defects and is in perfect health. In other words, my mission was a success. Of course then I was overthrown by my own brother because of that interdimensional mishap so I couldn't exactly gloat much over it." The ex-emperor shook his head and folded his arms.

"Do you remember your name?" Donatello narrowed his eyes on the woman. She frowned and looked at him.

"M-my name?" she asked.

"Your memory got a little bit scrambled during the mutation process. You used to be named Angel. You were Arnold Jones favorite member of the Rebellion. I took much pleasure in removing you from him," the ex-emperor cackled when seeing the expression on the turtle woman. "I named you Luna, because in your holding cell you used to stair at the moon all the time when it was visible. You remember any of that?"

"I-it's… hazy." The woman put a hand on her head and shook it tiredly.

"Of course it is, most of your memory is from a record tape," Donatello snorted. "Alright enough of this blast from the past episodes. You went down to the cellar with food for April. How is she?"

"S-she's alive," Luna answered and turned now fully to face the ex-emperor.

"Is she hurt?" the male turtle narrowed his eyes. The woman gulped remembering the wounds on April.

"She has been beaten up," she whispered. Donatello growled and gave the doors a glare, but his expression softened almost instantly and he looked at Luna once more.

"Tell me something, do you love that black clad idiot?" he asked. Luna looked away biting her lips.

"I love… a black clad idiot yes," she muttered.

"What was that?" Donatello asked as he had missed what the turtle had said.

"Yes I love him," Luna answered.

* * *

 **2k3 MNT-world**

"Man this sucks," Mikey pouted as he walked into the work corner where Donatello and the cyborg were still working on Raphael's right arm.

"What?" Donatello asked as he fastened few screws deep with in the mechanical limb.

"I wanted to go with Sinda, I mean met I him first," the orange clad turtle muttered. The cyborg looked at him with a grin on the organic part of his face.

"Mikey we really don't know much about this Sinda character," Don mentioned glancing slightly at his brother.

"He sounded cool and the assassin IS scared of him." Mikey shrugged.

"Yeah but why?" the cyborg asked. "We know already that the assassin is deadly martial art fighter, we can only guess that he also has a good aim as he carries that rifle on his back as well. We all know about his dart gun as well. Why would he fear a seven foot tall wolfoid that only wears shorts and a canister belt around his waist?"

"Because he's big and strong? He picked Donny up like an empty sack." The orange clad turtle shrugged.

"Mikey, what the cyborg is probably going for is why would an evil twisted maniac like the assassin fear anybody? He sure as shell wasn't phased when the cyborg held him here over the ledge a year ago. Raphael here could probably crush his carapace with a single blow." The purple clad turtle turned in his chair to face Mikey.

"So, are you saying that Sinda is evil?" Mikey asked perplexed.

"I at least suggest caution about him," Raphael said and looked at his arm on the table. "Let's try that arm on."

Don finished closing the arm and then with Mikey's help picked it up. The two turtles with great difficulties managed to put the arm in the shoulder socket. Donatello twisted it clockwise and heard the lock snap into place.

"Alright, connecting." Raphael lifted the arm few seconds later and smiled wide. He pretended to flex the arm. Then he tried to eject both the needle and the mini bone saw from the knuckles. The cyborg grinned even wider and his hand sunk into the arm and out came the machine gun.

"You guys got a target?" he asked almost innocently. Mikey pointed towards a large yellow and red target further in the lair. Raphael aimed and fired a single laser at the round object, hitting the middle perfectly.

"Wow… um I'm glad you weren't actually aiming at me when you were trying to kill me a year ago." Donatello gulped when seeing the cyborg's marksmanship.

"Actually I did aim at you," Raphael said and looked down at the shocked purple-masked turtle. "You just moved."

"Right…" Don gulped. "Let's check that left arm of yours."

"I have disconnected it. Rip it off," the cyborg stated and soon the left arm was on the worktable, with Donatello busy opening it.

"So how does that laser gun of your work?" Mikey was carefully examining Raphael's right arm, from a slight distance. The mechanical turtle lifted the arm; he hadn't yet pulled the gun back down.

"This is just my hand, but it has to go down into my arm to get few extra parts stored there to transform into the barrel. Then I use spare energy from my battery to fire electric beams that form those laser beams. I can fire up to fifty rounds before needing a recharge." The cyborg looked at the orange clad turtle who was almost literally drooling.

"Wow, cool," he said with much admiration. "Thanks for not using too much techno words like Donny would do."

"Hey!" Donatello glanced over his shoulder frowning.

"Just call it about eleven years practice of raising two kids," Raphael said and the barrel sunk into his arm and the hand came out. "You learn to use small words for them."

"Heeey wait a minute," Mikey realized the cyborg had pretty much said that small words were required to explain things for him. Don and the mechanical turtle chuckled.

"You walked right into that one Mikey," the purple masked ninja snickered.

"Hrmpf," Mike pouted and folded his arms.

"So I take it you are almost fully repaired?" Leonardo walked into the work corner.

"I'm battle ready," Raphael said waving his right arm. "My arsenal is in this one. My repair arm is still being fixed up. Then Donatello was maybe going to try and see if I have a program installed that makes me think I can't repair myself."

"Could that wait?" the blue masked turtle asked. The cyborg shrugged.

"I guess," he said then frowned. "Why?"

"Because Raphael reported back, he said he saw a turtle come through a portal that looked almost exactly like Mikey. He lost him though almost instantly, the turtle moved extremely fast. Sinda went after it but hasn't reported anything yet," Leonardo explained.

"That must be that strange turtle I saw with the assassin. That was cracked a mutant, was he armed?" the mechanical turtle wondered.

"Raphael said he sported two gauntlets, with Shredder blades." Leo gritted his teeth. "I fear he was sent here to do some damage."

"Then we better stop him before he does! I don't want some lunatic to ruin my reputation!" Mikey shouted and immediately ran towards the lair entrance.

"Mikey wait!" Leo called after him but either his brother didn't hear or didn't care as he disappeared out of the lair. "Arg, we better go after him."

"I'll go, I only need one arm," Raphael said and began walking as fast as he could towards exit.

"Don, you stay here with Master Splinter and finish fixing that arm," Leo told his brother and ran after the cyborg that had accelerated his pace towards the exit.

"Wasn't that just what I was doing?" Don wondered but shrugged it off. Knowing Leo didn't mean anything but good by issuing orders like these.

* * *

Mikey ran through the sewer tunnels. Hearing that his double was on the prowl in his world had riled him up a bit. It didn't help knowing what the cyborg had told them that this Michelangelo was apparently insane.

The orange clad turtle realized though soon that he had absolutely no idea where to start. He figured he would try going topside when the ninja heard footsteps up ahead.

"Smells… like… home," he heard somebody say. The voice was disturbingly familiar. Mikey realized suddenly that he didn't know where Raphael had lost the turtle. He quickly ducked into a side tunnel and watched the main one he had been in. Michelangelo's eyes bulged out when seeing the turtle appear further up ahead.

 _Man talking about looking at a mirror,_ the turtle thought surprised. His counterpart didn't wear anything though, safe for the gauntlets on his hands.

"Find safe place… hide… then.. find… not friends… attack…" he heard his double mutter as he got closer. "Smells like home."

"Alright Mr. Copycat, no finding anything and no attacking anybody." Mikey jumped out of his hiding place and right in front of his double and wielded his nunchaku.

"Who this…" Mad-Michelangelo frowned. "You… not friends…?"

Mikey was about to answer but realized that his double had stopped short and was staring almost shocked and dazed at him.

"Uh, hello?" Mikey waved his hand; his counterpart continued to stare for a moment but then gave a hideous snarl and jumped.

"Yikes," the orange clad turtle gulped and just barely managed to block a clawed strike with his nunchaku.

"Die…" his counterpart hissed and continued to strike with his gauntlet claws. Mikey dodged back and forth, the other Mike was just as fast as he was.

"Not today pal, I'm going to chuck you cold," the orange clad turtle grunted and tried to attack with his nunchaku but his opponent dodged easily.

They continued to battle on in the tunnel but were evenly matched. Mikey was surprised to learn that his double utilized ninja style moves. Although they did look rusty like he hadn't used much of them for a long time.

They were so fully intent on the battle that they didn't notice the large shadow approaching from the same way Mad-Michelangelo had came from. It raised one hand that was holding a knife and waited.

The turtles unknowingly were approaching. Sinda smiled almost wickedly as he prepared to strike the knife down.

 **End chapter 6**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 18/03 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

THUNK.

Mikey shrieked and flinched. This had been so sudden, the turtle dared himself to look up and saw his counterpart standing, staring almost stunned forward. Behind him was the Ulfarian.

Suddenly Mad-Mike fell to his knees; a knife embedded into his carapace. Sinda took a step back and drew up another knife. The now injured turtle was breathing franticly and his face was slowly disfiguring in a scowl.

With a roar he rose back up and turned, the Ulfarian smirked and drew up the second knife and took battle position. Mikey swirled his nunchaku and prepared to help Sinda if needed. The orange clad turtle grimaced at the sight of his counterparts wound, it was bleeding but apparently the mad turtle didn't care.

"You… die!" the gauntlet wielding mutant snarled and charged at the Ulfarian.

"Big words for somebody who has a knife sticking out of his back," Sinda chuckled and blocked the incoming claws with his knives.

"Mikey!" the orange-clad one turned when he heard his name called. Leonardo appeared running and behind him came the cyborg. They halted when seeing the battle.

Sinda didn't seem to have much trouble with his opponent, in fact at one time he even yawned like he was bored. Mikey's counterpart tried to slash and stab with his claws but each and every strike was skillfully blocked with knives. The Ulfarian was extremely quick and strong.

Leonardo cringed when Sinda suddenly landed a punch on Mad-Mikes beak. The turtle's head snapped up and a blood sprayed from the mouth. The mutant landed harshly on the wet ground unconscious.

"What are you two doing here?" The Ulfarian frowned when noticing Leonardo and the cyborg.

"Well Mikey here ran out once he heard that this guy was on the loose," the blue masked turtle explained and pointed at Mad-Mike.

"Well I couldn't…"

"Shh," Sinda hushed Mike and then looked back at Leonardo. "So who is in your lair?"

"Donatello and Master Splinter," Leonardo answered and frowned. "Why?"

"Well it's obvious this one was sent as a distraction," the Ulfarian pointed at the fallen turtle.

"How can you tell?" Raphael asked frowning with the organic part of his face.

"Raphael, the other one that is, is up there," Sinda pointed upwards. "And we are all here, leaving your Donatello and your Master Splinter alone."

"They are fully capable of defending themselves." Leonardo frowned even harder. _Although the assassin has proven to be skilled fighter too._

"And Leonardo, the assassin that is, utilizes a Ru'u Dimension traveler. In other words a dimension traveler from my world, they can be set to open portals at any location in one dimension. So if this Luna you mentioned works for him and has left, he knows how to open a portal. A portal straight into your lair," the Ulfarian explained with a snarl.

"Back to the lair this instance, Mikey! Raphael!" Leonardo shouted and was instantly heading back the way they came. Sinda shook his head tiredly when he was left alone with the unconscious turtle.

 _Man these guys are stupid, it's almost not worth the effort._ The Ulfarian sneered and glared down at his fallen opponent. Then he drew up a knife that had a transparent tube on the handle. It contained bluish colored liquid. Growling the alien stabbed the weapon into the plastron, the blade sunk all the way to the handle. The liquid in the tube disappeared, and some of it oozed from the wound.

"Good riddance to annoying distraction. Well you want to play rough Leo? I can play rough. No problem," Sinda snarled and yanked the knife out of Mad-Mikey who was starting to make gurgling sounds. The Ulfarian turned the corpse and removed the knife from the carapace before disappearing into the opposite direction of the lair. On his way, he picked up Leo's communicator from his belt and threw it away.

* * *

Donatello frowned in heavy concentration as he used the welding tool on the arm. The cyborg had told him he would have to weld few components together, although Don suspected that the mechanical turtle had other reasons for it. He was going to ask when Raphael returned.

"You know Donatello," a very familiar voice said from behind him. The purple-clad turtle looked up.

 _That can't possibly be Leo,_ he thought.

"There is a saying in a world I once visited."

Don slowly turned in his chair, underneath the protection goggles his eyes bulged out. Right in front of him was the assassin, aiming an unfortunately familiar dart gun at him.

"It says, 'When the assassin strikes he strikes when you least expect it. When you think you are safe and secure. One moment you are awake, the next you say good night.' Of course it loses something in translation." The black clad turtle grinned evilly.

"I advise you to step away from him." Splinter came running from his chamber. Leonardo's counterpart spun and fired from his dart gun. The rat leaped into the air to avoid the darts, but the assassin raised the gun and fired again. Just at that moment, Donatello recovered from his shock and lunged towards the turtle.

The two turtles rolled out of the workspace in their struggle to gain the upper hand. Don fought fiercely to grab a hold on the dart gun that was still in his opponent's hand. The assassin tried as well to aim at the purple-masked one.

Don was distracted for a moment by a soft thud, glancing towards his work corner he saw were Splinter had fallen unconscious to the floor.

 _Oh no, a dart must have hit him._ The ninja realized he was alone against the black clad turtle.

"You are not succeeding," Donatello snapped and tried to hit his opponent. Leonardo ducked his head sideways and they continued to roll around in their wrestling for control.

"You're forgetting something Donatello," the assassin said with a slight smirk. "I'm over ten years your senior with over ten years more experience and practice!"

With that final word, the black masked turtle grabbed a firm hold on Don's shoulders and suddenly kicked with both feet. The purple one wasn't quick enough to prepare himself and was flung off the assassin.

"WOAH!" the ninja crash-landed on one of the pillars that held the second level up. He slid down and lay upside down up against it. The room was spinning. He didn't even notice the pricking sensation of a dart landing on his arm.

The assassin stood up and rubbed his upper left arm and then cracked sore joints in his shoulders, Don had actually put up a fiercer fight than he had anticipated. The black clad turtle glanced towards the rat and sneered, but his head snapped up when heard a distant sound of something very heavy moving.

 _Shit, I won't have time to take both. Oh well I only need one,_ he frowned and jumped towards the purple clad turtle. Swiftly he pulled up his dimension traveler and operated it. Then he grabbed Don and slung him over his shoulder before disappearing through the portal.

Just at that moment, cyborg Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo came running into the lair. They all stopped instantly when seeing Splinter lying close to Don's workspace and the evidences of a fierce struggle taking place there.

"Oh no, Master Splinter." Leo dashed to where his father lay, knelt and picked him up. He noticed a dart stuck in his throat.

"Is he?" Mikey appeared behind his brother.

"No he's breathing, but…" Leo ripped the dart out of Splinter's throat. "I am sure a certain black-clad turtle is the owner of this dart."

"Damn, Sinda was right, that crazy turtle in the tunnel was just a distraction." The cyborg walked towards them. Mikey looked around with a worried frown.

"W-where is Donny?" he asked. "He didn't take him did he?"

"I'm afraid he did," the mechanical turtle growled and walked to the workspace. He shook his head when seeing his arm. "Dammit, he didn't manage to finish it."

"Raphael, return to the lair," Leo had borrowed Mikey's Shell-Cell. "The assassin just kidnapped Don."

"What? On my way," Raph growled through the cell. The blue masked turtle sighed and dialed another number. He frowned when there was no answer.

"Sinda is not responding," he said.

"Maybe he lost his communicator," the orange-clad turtle suggested.

"Well we need him; he has a device like the assassin to travel between worlds. And we have to go after that assassin before he does something to Don." Leonardo rose up with Splinter in his arms. He then gently laid his master down on the couch.

"I'll go look for him," Mikey offered and ran straight back out of the lair.

"Mikey wait!" Leo groaned when his brother once again disappeared without answering. He looked at the cyborg. "Can you go after him?"

"Sure thing," the mechanical turtle responded and went after Mike. The blue-masked turtle sighed and sunk into a chair, this was getting out of hand. Shortly later, the elevator door opened and Raph came running through.

"Where is everybody?" the red masked one grunted when spotting Leo sitting near the TVs and Splinter lying on the couch. "Is Splinter ok?"

"Just sleeping, Mikey and the cyborg went to look for Sinda. The assassin must have remembered that he can open a portal into the lair, because he has kidnapped Don," Leonardo explained.

"Oh great, what else can go wrong," Raph growled and hammered his right fist into the left palm.

"I really don't want to think about that," Leo muttered darkly.

* * *

 **Assassin's world**

"Ugh… ow…" Don cringed as he woke up, he had a splitting headache and his whole body ached. The turtle woke up completely when realizing that the he was strapped to a chair. Looking up the ninja saw he was in some sort of a laboratory.

"Well, so you are awake now," a familiar voice said and into view wearing a white lab-coat walked ex-emperor Donatello.

"You!" Don growled and struggled against his bonds, he noticed his counterpart standing with arms folded and shaking his head.

"Why do you always do that, I mean shouldn't it be obvious that you can't break from these?" the other turtle asked.

 _Never hurts to try,_ Don felt a slight dizzy spell come over him. He was still under effect of the drug.

His counterpart walked closer and regarded the younger turtle carefully. Don stopped struggling and after regaining some composure, he looked back up glaring at the ex-emperor.

"I guess since you are free, that you are now working for my captor?" he asked, but the other turtle just shrugged rather carelessly.

"Alright, where do I fit in here? If he has you he shouldn't need me," the purple-masked turtle snorted.

"I don't know really, your part of some damn plan or another he's cooking up, something about local annoyance," ex-Emperor Donatello told him. "Guess he tied you up here with me so someone actually working for him can keep an eye on you. Our last prisoner escaped."

"Yeah I know." Don couldn't but smile a little. "Your brother is full of surprises."

"Well, I built him to be hard to take down," his counterpart snorted.

"You do realize it was him who caused the toppling of your empire you know? Why are you working for him?" the ninja asked frowning.

"Maybe so but he also got me out of that nut house," the former overlord muttered.

"He killed your Leonardo," Don pointed out.

"That was self defense," a chilly voice countered. Don froze and slowly glanced towards the doors he had spotted earlier. In the doorway stood the assassin, he was grinning almost madly.

The former overlord raised an eye ridge. The black clad turtle walked in and behind him came Luna, although she tried to remain mostly out of sight. The turtle woman snuck away to the cradle to peek at Michelle.

"Is the modification of the taser complete?" Leonardo asked. Don's counterpart snorted and grabbed the taser like device from a table and handed it to his employer.

"Yeah, it should give more powerful charges now… in fact use it close enough and it will fry the computer in his brain and kill him," the former overlord said albeit hesitantly. "I have also finished these heat vision goggles, they pick up body heat."

The lab-coat wearing turtle handed the assassin what looked like a glorified ski-goggles. Leo's counterpart nodded in satisfaction and put both items on his utility belt. He then turned to the prisoner.

"What about the rest we talked about?" he asked.

"Most of it is ready; your servant seemed to grasp what needed to be done. I'm not much of an explosive expert though," his employee told him.

"Don't worry, I have it covered." The assassin waved his hand dismissively and walked away from the ex-emperor. He stood now between him and the prisoner. Leonardo was staring at Don who sneered back.

"Had any chance to have some fun with our 'guest' here?" Leonardo asked. The ninja's eyes opened wide and the sneer disappeared.

"What? Was that what I was supposed to do?" Ex-Emperor Donatello asked.

"Why do you think I took him here in the first place?" The assassin turned around to look at his employee. "I thought you would like to 'talk' with him about you know, freeing your brothers and all that."

"I have been busy making the equipment you need for this crazy plan of yours," the former overlord snorted.

"Well excuse me for wanting to reward my lackey for a job well done so far," the assassin shot right back.

"I'm not your lackey!" ex-Emperor Donatello snarled.

"You work for me, I pay you, that makes you my lackey," Assassin Leonardo pointed out with a grin. The other turtle just scowled.

"Um excuse me?" Don called; the attention turned back to him. "Where exactly do I fit into all this?"

"Let's just say that I'm building a little trap and you're one of my baits," the black clad turtle said and drew up his rifle. Donatello froze and gasped when the weapon was aimed at him.

The rifle fired and Don cringed while closing his eyes. But he felt nothing, slowly one eye opened. The assassin had turned swiftly and using his rifle he had shot ex-emperor Donatello. Luna gasped in horror.

"Oh, you thought I was going to shoot you?" Leonardo glanced back at his shocked prisoner. He holstered the rifle to his back again. "Luna, take Michelle out of here and get Tony and tell him we need a clean up here in the lab."

"Y-y-you shot him!" Don finally spoke staring stunned and horrified at the corpse of his counterpart, it lay partly concealed by a table. "You killed him!"

"Yeah, that happens when you take a bullet in your brain," the assassin said turning back towards Donatello.

"Why?" the purple masked ninja asked and now looked at the black-clad one.

"Simple, he had done what I had planned to have him do," Leonardo shrugged rather carelessly. "And I was paid a handsome sum to kill ex-emperor Donatello of Turtotopia."

"What? He was a hit for you?" Don's jaw dropped. His brother's counterpart shook his head.

"I'm not a hitman, I'm an assassin. It's called a contract or a job and yes I had a contract on Donatello's head; I just decided to utilize him a little bit first. He has served his purpose so now it's time for me to collect my fee." The black clad turtle looked at the doorway when it opened and Tony came walking in.

"Ah Tony, drag the ex-emperor out of here and put him in the freezer. I'll handle it later," the turtle instructed the human who just nodded and walked straight to the corpse.

"I have to ask, why haven't you killed me already? I don't think you need me alive as bait. Don watched as the human began dragging the body of his counterpart away.

"You really think I just kill at my leisure do you?" the assassin asked with a chuckle.

"Looked that way when we first met and you killed my counterpart's brother," Don grunted.

"Ah, ah that was self defense like I said earlier," the assassin said wagging a finger towards his prisoner. "We were fighting, so that is classified as a self defense. I would have spared his life if he had stayed out of it."

"Right and I should believe you because?" Donatello snorted; the black clad turtle walked closer and leaned slightly forward.

"I don't really care if you believe me or not. I don't kill unless I'm paid for it or if it's in self defense. Your counterpart lost his brain now just earlier because I had contract on him. His brother died because he was fighting me, simple as that, not my fault he was without any weapons. Oh sure I could probably done the honorable thing and spared his life." Leonardo rose up and shrugged. "But honor gets in the way in my job; in fact honor has always gotten in my way. But don't worry; I'm not going to kill you."

"So I take it next is the blasted trap you're making," Don grunted.

"Not just yet," the black clad one shrugged, he began rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We need to wait a little first. It's no good setting up a trap for people who are not even on the scene yet. Plus I have Sinda to contend with."

"I heard you weren't exactly on his top ten favorites." The purple clad turtle couldn't help but grin now, knowing somebody his captor feared. The assassin began chuckling again.

"Speaking of killing at their leisure, you think I am bad?" He smiled wickedly. "Well, you see Sinda has no qualms to kill for whatever reasons that dwell in his twisted mind. I would say your brothers are now in much more danger with him close by than me."

"W-what?" Don frowned confused. The assassin came closer; he forcefully grabbed his prisoner's beak and forced him to look up.

"Sinda is a serial killer," Leonardo said cackling at the sight of the shocked expression arriving on Donatello.

 **End chapter 7**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 27/03 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 **Assassin's world**

Don had to wonder how long he was going to be kept in that damn chair. He was still in the lab, although it was quickly becoming a former one. The assassin and Tony were busy cleaning up all the equipment; they had started shortly after Leo's counterpart had told the purple masked one about Sinda.

 _Have got to get out of here,_ the teenage turtle thought glancing warily around.

"There, that should do it," Leonardo said as he put the final equipment in a box, it was then carried away by the human.

"Ok, so if this isn't a lab anymore, then what is it?" Don decided he might just as well ask first he was still there. The assassin turned towards him with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, I was considering changing into a special room for special 'guests'," he answered smirking.

 _Special guest? No Don, you don't want to know._ Donatello shook his head. "So what are you going to do with all the lab equipment?"

"You sure are curious," the black clad turtle said and walked closer to his prisoner. "I'm moving it to my real lab, although I wouldn't really call it a lab. I'm not much of a scientist. I changed this room into a lab for your counterpart; I didn't want him to access any of my stuff."

"Alright fair enough." Don had to admit that made sense.

"But I still don't understand why you need me as a bait. If you wanted Leonardo any one of my brothers would have done or any of our friends and I have a sinking feeling that you probably know all about our friends. Furthermore, you've never told me why you needed me originally? Considering it's you I'm half expecting it to be something twisted and sick, like changing me into a girl or something," the purple-masked turtle grunted.

The assassin had listened so far without a comment but when his prisoner reached that last statement; he couldn't keep a straight face and started to laugh. Don had to wait full five minutes before Leonardo finally managed to catch his breath and compose himself again.

"Change you into a… good god you have a big imagination. Where did you get that one? Some bad fan fiction of the internet? No I'm not going to change you into a girl," the assassin chuckled.

 _I'm strangely relieved to hear that even if I knew that was just too far out there to be his actual plan,_ Donatello thought.

"Alright I probably should be a good host and tell you what I wanted to do, the original plan I had in mind for you is a bust anyway." Leonardo shrugged and turned away to glance over the now empty room. Tony had finished the last of the moving while he talked with the prisoner.

"Essentially there is a local annoyance I wanted to force you to help deal with. By forcing you, I mean that I was the only one who could get you back home. However, as I thought about it better I realized that you would probably just manage to ally with that annoyance and he would find a way to get you back home."

The assassin turned back to Don who listened but raised his eye-ridges as he heard this new information. The black-clad turtle walked even closer and peered down at the prisoner.

"Besides, I could probably never make it look like you had convincing enough scars that looked like his except by cutting you all up and anyone with half a brain would immediately realize your scars are recent and not old," Leonardo grunted with disappointment.

 _Cut me up… scars? What?_ Donatello's jaw began to descend but he quickly closed his mouth again when the obvious fact hit him. _He looks just like Leo, we were told that he used to be like Leo and that his world wasn't that unlike ours once._

"You wanted me to play your brother? Your Donatello?" the ninja asked hardly believing that was actually the plan.

"Bravo, bravo." Leonardo applauded. "Very good, I probably shouldn't have expected any less from a Donatello. Though calling my brother, my Donatello is a stretch these days. But yeah that was pretty much it."

"But now?" Don frowned, it was clear that since he was bait for a trap, him playing another Leo's brother was no longer happening.

"To be honest, I really wasn't targeting you specifically. If I had the time back when I abducted you I would have taken your sensei along too. I just told the cyborg that I was after you to rile him up a little; he seems to care about you a great deal. Honestly any of your brothers, aside from Leonardo, would have done fine." The assassin shrugged.

"I sent Mad Mike over to your world to act as a distraction and hope enough of you scattered in all directions so someone was left behind in the lair, frankly I half expected only to find your Splinter there."

"But how would you have known if the distraction worked… unless…" Don stopped and groaned. "You still have active surveillance gear in the lair."

Once again the assassin applauded as he nodded to confirm the turtle's realization.

"Yeah, you did bang up job finding most of my gear, but there were still few little cameras here and there you missed. I did lose the device that gave me coordinates though, that was a little annoying," he said.

"So you sent Luna in to gather them," Donatello gritted his teeth. _I knew it. I hate being right sometimes._

"Yeah, knowing your situation in your world that you must remain unseen, I knew you wouldn't leave a fellow mutant," Leonardo laughed.

"And that human, how does he fit into this. Come to think of it I recall you have a bit of distaste for mammals," the younger turtle asked with a frown.

"Tony? He's my servant, does what he's told, doesn't complain, that's all I need," the assassin shrugged and glanced at the doorway when said human appeared there.

"Sir." Tony bowed when seeing he had Leonardo's attention. "All the equipment is back in the lab."

"Good, dismissed for now," Leonardo told his servant who bowed again and left, closing the doors behind him.

"Now we just wait really, let everyone run around like headless chickens until the 'cavalry' arrives so to speak." The assassin turned back to Donatello who raised an eye ridge.

The drugs were finally wearing off and Don found that he could pay much better attention to his surroundings. Unfortunately, now that the lab was empty, there really wasn't anything to note. The chair he was tied to was the only remaining furniture and then of course was the assassin standing right in front of him.

He considered asking more questions and even though the assassin had so far been cooperative in answering them, Don somehow had a feeling he would never go into any further details of his current trap plan. Testing his bonds the ninja only learned again that he was tied tightly and no way to break them.

"Hm, I must admit that his is the first time I have a counterpart of one of my brothers as a prisoner. That is one who could actually fight back," Leonardo mused while observing Donatello. "I usually only take my own counterparts prisoner."

"Really now." Don cringed, remembering what Leo had told him and the others about his time as the assassin's prisoner.

"Alright, let's see what you got." Leonardo drew up his katana and before Donatello could even register it the bonds on his wrists and ankles had been cut loose.

"W-what?" the olive green turtle stared shocked and surprised at his captor.

"Come with me, we are going to my training room. Can't really let you spar without a weapon can I?" Leonardo gestured him to stand up and follow.

Don rose up and after hesitating for a moment, followed the assassin out. He briefly wondered if he should try to make a break for it, but quickly dismissed that idea. His captor would probably not have cut him loose if he didn't have some way to just re-capture him immediately.

They went down the hallway and into another room, Leonardo's dojo. Both its size and all the exercise equipment in it impressed Don. One thing was obviously for sure, his captor kept himself vigorously in shape. The teenage turtle frowned when spotting all the shooting targets and how most of the holes were close to or on the middle, clearly indicating that the basic green mutant was a deadly shooter.

"Pick a weapon," Leonardo told him as the he stepped into the open area in the middle of the room. The black clad one gestured to one of many weapon racks.

 _Hm._ Don glanced at the weapons available. He was relieved to see a Bo staff. Not that he wasn't able too handle another weapon, but sometimes it was best to pick what you were familiar with.

Donatello picked the staff and approached the center of the room, again the thought of escape came to his mind but his sensible side quelled it once more. The assassin stood with his katana ready and smirking, he twirled it for a second before taking a crouching battle position.

Don swung the staff and got ready. He was almost surprised at the speed when his opponent launched forward in silence, ready to hew down his sword. The purple masked ninja blocked it and the match began.

* * *

Luna shushed the crying child and paced around the floor. Michelle had woken up just few minutes ago and the turtle woman couldn't get the child to settle down.

She had tried to give her a bottle but the child was apparently not hungry. Luna just hoped the girl wasn't crying for her father, the woman shuddered at the image in her mind when Leonardo shot the ex-emperor down. It had happened so quickly.

"Shh, it's alright. It's ok," she whispered soothingly and rocked the wailing child in her arms.

The turtle woman looked around in slight desperation. She was in the master bedroom as Luna had no idea were exactly to put the child, the assassin hadn't given her any instructions on it. She looked back at the child and sighed.

"Please quiet down, please," the woman whispered. She didn't notice one of the bedroom windows slowly sliding open, her whole thought was bent on trying to calm the child.

"Please oh pleas…gah," she had turned and almost jumped when somebody stood in front of her. "W-what are you doing here. Here of all places?"

The newly arrived was definitely a mutant turtle, although only the silhouette of the person could actually determine that. He was clad in some sort of a black dogi, covering his whole body, even the head was concealed by a mask. Only thing not black on the uniform were some sort of yellowish goggles that covered the eyes. On the back, the stranger carried two Jo staffs that formed an X behind the black covered carapace.

The stranger didn't say a single word; instead he raised a black gloved hand and pointed at the child Luna held. The woman looked at Michelle that had finally stopped crying and stared wide eyed at the other turtle.

"Ah… she… she belongs to an AU, well belonged. Your brother just killed him," she whispered, sighing in relief that the girl had stopped crying. The mystery turtle just nodded and started to glance briefly around.

"Y-you shouldn't be here, not here. Didn't I give you enough information in the cellar?" she asked and nervously eyed the entrance. Glancing to the black clad turtle he was waving his hand slightly, indicating that there was nobody near.

"Are you sure?" She clenched her teeth and looked back at the closed doorway. The mysterious one just nodded.

"Look you can't risk it, if he sees you here… he'll go ballistic." Luna stepped closer to the stranger. "Please go, before he detects you."

The black clad turtle did another hand signal that the woman apparently understood. She cringed and glanced back to the entrance, silently praying that nobody was nearby.

"He… he has one of the teenagers, the one who wears purple. Looks like the one who changed me… and well probably looks like you as well." She looked back at him and smiled weakly.

The mystery turtle looked down and was rubbing his black covered chin, apparently mulling over something. Then he looked up and fixed his gaze on Luna, he gave yet another hand signal that the woman understood.

"Y-you think the Magistrate will approve?" she whispered shocked. Her only answer was a short nod. Luna gulped and then looked at the child. "What am I going to do with her?"

However, when Luna looked up the turtle was gone. The woman cringed and eyed the doorway again. It was still closed and she couldn't hear anybody. She dearly hoped that the assassin didn't have a hidden security camera in the bedroom, knowing that he had them all over the mansion.

* * *

Donatello groaned when he crashed to the floor. It was the third time since the match had started that the assassin managed to kick him to the floor. They had been 'sparring' now for almost three hours and the turtle was really starting to get tired.

On top of that, he was injured with cuts on his arms and legs. The assassin had not even tried to stop the katana when he sliced him. Don wasn't even thinking about all the bruises he also suffered from.

Now he just lay on the back wondering if he should bother to continue. He was starting to worry that if they kept on, his head would suffer the same fate and Turtotopia Leonardo's had.

The assassin walked to him, put one foot on his plastron and put the edge of his sword close to his throat. The black clad turtle raised an eye ridge while staring down at his prisoner.

"Well fought, I'm impressed," he said curtly. Don didn't respond, he was busy trying to get his breathing straight again. The assassin stepped off him and removed the sword.

Don tried to rise, he managed to sit up and put one hand tiredly on his soar beak rubbing it. He glanced carefully at his captor and frowned when seeing the shocked expression on Leo's counterpart.

 _What's with him?_ Don wondered. The assassin was staring at him, one hand reaching out for the purple masked turtle. His mouth was half agape and his eyes wide open. Then quickly he shut his eyes tight, turned away growling something.

 _Oookay, something is definitely wrong here,_ Donatello thought and still stared at the black clad one. _It was like… I don't know… like he was remembering or reliving something._

Suddenly the assassin glanced over his shoulder, glaring down at the olive green turtle. Don wondered what was going to happen now; there was this strange glint in his eyes.

"We better take a look at those cuts; I think I left the first aid-kit in the hobby room. Come," he said and started to walk towards the door. Tiredly Donatello stood up; he was a bit surprised that they were going to tend to his injuries.

The turtle followed him out of the training room and back to the hallway. They walked it to the end and went down long steps. Don spotted the double door and judged by the windows that it led out.

Down on the first floor they went through another hallway but this one was darker and not decorated. They finally ended up in a room that had many framed pictures on the walls. The assassin walked straight to a desk that had first-aid kit on it.

Don stopped for a moment in the doorway wondering what kind of a hobby room had so many pictures on it. This Leonardo sure didn't look like much of a photographer. Slowly the turtle entered and casually glanced at one of the photos, his eyes opened wide in shock, surprise and horror.

 _Oh… my…_ he gulped and just couldn't take his eyes of the photo; it was like watching a car crash. You just couldn't peel your eyes away.

The framed enlarged photograph contained a turtle, one that had his hands chained behind his carapace. The mutant was on his knees and leaning up against the wall it was tied to. What horrified Don the most was the both the expression on the turtle and the amount of cuts and bruises on him. There was desperation in the eyes and the face was disfigured in grimace of pain.

"W-who…" Don pointed at the image shaking badly. He couldn't place the turtle; the beak was slightly bigger and rounder than his and his brothers. Also the shape of the carapace and plastron was slightly different. He had a belt and the ninja could just make out a buckle on it, and there looked to be the letter L on it.

"Hm?" the assassin turned and smirked when seeing what Don was staring at.

"Oh that's just another counterpart of your brother. From another reality, where the turtles have a bit different physical appearance I suppose," he explained casually and approached his prisoner.

"Th…that is Leonardo?" Don whispered shocked.

"Every single turtle on these photographs are Leonardo, various Leonardos from different realities and universes," the black clad turtle said. "Some I had as prisoners here, much like I did with your brother. Some I just faced in their home dimension."

Donatello slowly turned his head to face the counterpart of his brother. The black wearing turtle was grinning madly now.

"W-what…what kind of a sick… twisted… thing are you?!" the olive green whispered, but the assassin just grabbed his hand and pulled him further into the room.

"Here is another one that wore those strange buckles, I didn't meet many of them," the assassin pointed to another enlarged framed photo.

This time the turtle was standing and staring grimly at the camera. The hands were not chained behind the back but each hand had a shackle on it. The chains linked to the wall. This Leonardo also had straps that formed an X on his chest; the belt encircling the waist had a round buckle with the letter L.

"This one here is my favorite." Leonardo then pointed at another photo. This time the turtle was not chained and the environment looked like a rooftop.

"He… he only has one hand." Don looked at the assassin who shrugged.

"Don't look at me; he was like that when I met him. But this Leonardo wore a red mask, the second Leonardo that wore a red mask I've met," he told him. The purple masked one looked back at the picture.

This Leonardo was charging with a sneer on his face. The turtle was clearly pissed off and ready to hack at the photographer, the left hand was missing but on it was cap that seemed to produce a sword from it.

"Now sit down so I can take care of those cuts on you." The assassin pushed Donatello down on the chair. He hardly acknowledged it, he was still glancing at all the photographs but some were so disturbing that he could just barely take a glimpse at them.

"Why?" he asked finally. "Why…why do you do this to them?"

"Because." The assassin was grinning wickedly. "Because I simply can."

"Y-you… because you can?" Don felt ill, talking about being corrupted by power.

"I decided long ago Donatello, that if I could do it. I would do it," his brother's counterpart said. "And I tell you, I enjoyed every single encounter I had."

"Some even more than others," the black masked turtle added with a strange tone in his voice. Don frowned wondering what he meant but then realized.

 _Ok, I did not need to know that._ The turtle shuddered. He winched at the black gloved hand on his now bandaged shoulder.

"Now we still need to wait, what to do?" Leonardo mused and then glanced down at his prisoner.

"Hm, perhaps I could use that brain of yours after all," he stated with a chuckle.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

"Any sign?" Leo asked when Raph returned to the lair.

"Not a single hair," the red clad turtle growled and twirled his sai as he approached his brother who paced around the dojo floor. "Mikey and the cyborg back?"

"No, the cyborg called though, he missed Mikey when he went to the rooftops. But he is hoping find him again," Leonardo sighed and stopped walking.

"Why don't we go both and search for him?" the dark green turtle asked and pointed back to the elevator. "Splinter is goin' to be alright."

"I know, I know… just… I don't know. I'm hoping that he returns, returns here," Leo said gritting his teeth.

"You mean that black masked version of you?" Raph folded his arms and raised an eye ridge. Leonardo nodded. "Don't you think if he would, he would be here already?"

"Yeah… probably." The blue clad one sighed and looked down. "I'm just at loss Raph, how are we going to do this? The assassin can jump around between worlds at his leisure; easily get out of our reach. He's already kidnapped Don and is doing who knows what to him…"

"And this Sinda guy seemed to have booked, and he also had a gizmo to jump between worlds," Raphael growled. His brother nodded and they both sighed in frustration.

"I hope Splinter wakes up soon, we really need help in this case," Leonardo then said with another heavy sigh.

"Well," a strangely familiar voice addressed him. Leo looked at Raph confused, he could have sworn this was his brother speaking, but the red masked ninja was staring towards the lair entrance. His eyes wide open in shock.

"We might be able to offer some assistance." Leo looked into the direction of the voice; his jaw dropped and would have scraped the floor if it could.

In the lair entrance stood a carbon copy of Raphael. Just this one had no mask or pads of any kind. He wore a sleeveless brown shirt, what looked like a custom-made jeans that were cut to the knees and his hands had fingerless gloves. His belt carried what looked like butterfly swords.

Appearing behind the newly arrived turtle came another one; this one all dressed in black dogi, with two Jo staffs on the back forming an X. Then the third one appeared who looked almost exactly like Mikey. He wore a gray sleeveless vest and silver-gray shorts. His mask and pads were orange. What was the most striking with this Mikey was the half-formed sneer on his beak.

"Man." The mask-less Raphael looked up and around the lair with a wide smile on his beak. "Does this bring back memories."

"Yeah," the vest wearing Mikey grunted. "But not all of them good ones."

"Ah ok… who the shell are you?" Raph finally found his voice after the initial shock. His apparent counterpart looked at him and grinned. Leo somehow found that grin just uncanny on that face, yet it was just a natural cheerful grin.

"Let's just say we can maybe assist you guys with your little assassin problem," he said and his grin changed into broad smile.

"Yeah, we are his brothers," Mikey retorted. Leo and Raph looked at each other and then back at the newly arrived turtles.

 _And when I thought things couldn't get weirder._ Leonardo raised an eye ridge, not really sure what to make out of this.

 **End chapter 8**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 31/03 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

"Ok let met get this straight," Raphael growled as he approached the newly arrived turtles, fully prepared to whip up his sai and launch at them. "You are that black clad bozo's brothers?"

"Well I supposed you are not referring to Don here but Leo, so yes we are his brothers," his counterpart answered giving the dogi-wearing turtle a short glance.

"I guess it makes sense that he would have brothers like me." Leonardo nodded as he walked closer. "But why are you offering to help us?"

"Because it's our job," the mask-less turtle responded simply and shrugged.

"Ok we don't have time for this, we need to find Mikey and Sinda and then…" Raph started but his mask-less counterpart cut him short.

"Whoa, whoa, did you say Sinda?" The brown wearing turtle held out one hand in alarm.

"Please don't tell me they are together somewhere alone?" Mikey's counterpart sported a worried frown and the sneer was gone.

"Well Mikey is looking for him," Leo offered not liking the horrified looks coming on the two turtles whose faces they could see. The only one that showed no movements or hint of anything was all black clad Donatello.

"Don, you go and find Mikey's young counterpart before Sinda does, we'll explain to those two," mask-less Raphael ordered his brother who did a short bow before disappearing silently out of the lair.

The two alternative universe turtles turned to the teenage ones who just stared confused at them. The dark green one raised his gloved hand to the beak and cleared his throat, wondering where exactly to begin.

"I won't beat around the bush, not exactly my style. Sinda is a serial killer and also has a big list of sexual related crimes on his record," he told them.

"WHAT!" Raph shouted and Leo's brow sunk into a worried frown.

"That's why I sent Don to find your brother. Don't worry about him not knowing the place, he is used to working like that," Raphael's counterpart explained.

* * *

The cyborg halted and quickly as he could, ducked into the shadow of a large building. Raphael snorted and shook his head, mentally cursing his heavy body right now.

 _I'm not cut up for this ninja stuff; I'm not even used to hiding anymore. That was years ago, when I still was a normal mutant,_ he thought and glanced upward, he had missed Mikey when the younger turtle went for the rooftops.

The shell cell he had now installed into his shoulder compartment suddenly rang. Glancing carefully around to make sure nobody was near, the mechanical turtle connected with the device. "Raphael here."

"Raphael, if you can try to return to the lair. Another one has been sent to find Mikey and Sinda," Leo instructed him. "Oh and we got some unexpected visitors who might be able to help us with our current problem."

"On my way." The cyborg nodded and disconnected. He noticed a nearby manhole but frowned, would he get through this one? The turtle had barely managed to squeeze himself out of the last one and even then, he had me cracks in the pavement.

 _Could of course just use my transporter,_ he thought. _Slight modification… drat no can do, the modification modules are in the left arm._

He sighed in surrender and eyed the manhole again, making sure nobody was looking the cyborg approached it. Using his only arm lifted the cover as if it were simply made out of paper; the turtle frowned at the hole. This would be a very tight squeeze.

Growling and cursing he tried to climb down, just as he suspected his carapace almost wedged stuck. He stubbornly continued down and he could hear the pavement crack. Rolling his organic eye the cyborg disappeared down, making notes that he was not going topside in this dimension unless using the elevator in the lair.

 _Ok, let's see, map,_ he thought as a map of the sewer system appeared in his, using that one he started to thread his way back to the lair.

However, he was only starting to walk in the right direction when suddenly in front of him appeared a turtle in a black dogi with two staffs on his back. Both froze at the sight of each other.

"Oookay, you're new," the cyborg claimed frowning with the organic part of his face. The mystery turtle didn't focus though much on him, he suddenly jerked his head sideways like he had heard something. Then he darted off into a side tunnel.

"Hey wait!" the mechanical turtle growled. Curiosity getting the better of him Raphael followed immediately after the turtle, wondering what on earth this was all about.

It was hard for him to keep up, despite being rather fast for his size and bulk. The other turtle had the advantage of not being part heavy machine and thus much, much quicker. Still the cyborg had his advantages as well, one was the night vision in his mechanical eye and that he could see much further away with it than his organic one. So he could see the other turtle for a quite a while and were it was going.

The mechanical turtle could hear scuffle from the distance and then a muffled yelp. Raphael frowned, that had definitely been Mikey and that could only mean the young turtle was in trouble. At some point in time, he must have returned to the sewers.

The cyborg ground is teeth hard, uncomfortable memories surfaced when the last time he raced to the rescue of someone named Mikey. He had nearly died then and failed miserably. Later he woke up in his current body. The turtle growled. He was not going to fail this time.

To be on the safe side he sunk his hand into the arm and drew out the machine gun. Who ever was hurting his friends was going to be drilled full of burn holes when the cyborg arrived.

He saw it from the distance before he was even close. Raphael recognized Sinda again and the dogi-wearing turtle was engaging him. Both staffs were out and he twirled them with both hands expertly, the Ulfarian had two knives at the ready and snarled something.

 _So my suspicions about him were right,_ the turtle snorted in his mind and adjusted to top speed. If they weren't aware of his approach before, they were now as the tunnels almost shook under his heavy footsteps.

As he got closer, he saw were Mikey lay unconscious on the tunnel ground. There was a slight bleeding wound on the back of his head. That made the cyborg growl on his approach. It was loud and echoed.

 _I failed my Mikey. I'm not failing this one._ He lifted up his arm to aim the barrel.

The whole time the black clad turtle had been engaged in what looked liked a vicious fight. Sinda was quick and agile but so was his opponent, plus he had two longer ranged weapons.

The Ulfarian found himself very busy dodging and blocking the Jo staffs and that was really pissing him off. With a snarl he tried to approach, land a punch or slash with his knife but the turtle was so quick, jumped around almost like a spring.

"Stay still kjerga mutant freak!" the alien growled. There was no response at all from his opponent. The cyborg continued to approach. With a loud roar, he arrived at the scene of the battle.

* * *

 **Assassin's world**

"You are a sick, twisted, sadistic bastard!" Donatello growled, sneering up at the assassin. The purple clad turtle sat on a floor with shackles on his wrists and ankles. In front of him were not one but three TV sets.

"What? These need to be repaired and you repair things at your own lair," Leonardo shrugged were he stood nearby.

"You cause me to switch with my counterpart allowing him to wreak havoc on my world, you abduct my brother, then you kill his counterpart in an unfair fight then you try and abduct me so that I apparently can masquerade as your brother for reasons I probably don't want to know. Later we find out you've been stalking us for almost a year, send a mad mutant to distract us and this time you actually manage to abduct me and now you're going to use me as a bait for a trap and… and you want me to fix your TVs? Am I forgetting something?" the teenager snapped.

"No I think that covers it for the most part." the assassin smirked at him. Don glowered at the electronics in front of him.

"Just fix these three, I mean we still need to wait for a little while. I need to confirm that everyone is in place and well I can't just jump the gun and start too early. Oh and Tony here will make sure you're only fixing them and not trying to modify them in anyway." Leonardo gestured to his human servant. He glanced back at Don whose left eye was twitching.

"And don't try anything funny, Tony is maybe a human but he isn't that stupid," he added and then began walking towards the doorway.

"So I'm just going to be your personal electronic repair slave?" the olive-green turtle snorted. He cringed at the smile he got when the assassin stopped and turned slightly.

"Hm not a bad idea, you my personal repair-turtle and Leonardo my personal training dummy, not bad at all," he said with a chuckle though this time it didn't sound like he was that serious about it.

 _Good job Donatello, give him ideas._ Don looked down sighing. He heard the assassin laugh before the black clad one left and closed the door to the room.

The ninja looked up again and eyed the TVs. He lifted his arms to look at the shackles; they looked pretty strong as did the chains that were linked to the wall. The turtle finally spared the human standing nearby a casual glance. Tony just stood there with arms folded and kept an eye on him.

"Guess it would be pointless to ask why you serve him," Donatello muttered and picked up the toolbox that lay next to him. If he had been alone, he could easily use some of the tools to break free. However, since the human was watching the purple clad turtle figured he might just as well do his job.

"He saved my life," the human answered him surprisingly enough.

"Really." Don frowned as he took the case off the first TV. "It doesn't matter to you what he does? In fact, you seem to be very well aware what he is doing."

"What he says or does, does not concern me. I live now to serve my master," Tony told him without any expression on his face.

 _Master? How quaint._ The turtle began checking around to see what exactly was wrong with the set.

 _I have to get a message somehow to the guys, warn them about Sinda and hopefully give them some idea how to locate me,_ Don thought as he continued his work.

 _Unfortunately, I'm in a different dimension and any signal that I know how to send would just travel locally. I would need some sort of a transmitter that can penetrate the walls between worlds and I can't just build that from scratch. I guess I'm forced to just play along until an opportunity rises._

* * *

The assassin walked through the hallway and towards the master bedroom. He was smiling so wide that it strained his beak. As he began opening the doors the turtle let out a chuckle.

 _Man things are just going perfectly for a change. Now I'm not relaying on some bumbling idiots, I'm relaying on the only one who I can trust to do the job done, myself,_ Leonardo thought as he entered the room. He wasn't surprised to see Luna sitting on the edge of the bed still holding Michelle.

"Shh, I just got her to sleep," the woman whispered and stood up.

"Good, put her in the cradle. We deserve a break now," the assassin said and began to remove his black shirt. As he did, it revealed the two black straps that held the sword and the rifle to his back; they went across his plastron forming an X.

The shirt and his two trademark weapons he put on a chair, he also removed the sandals from this feet and put them under the chair. Now only dressed in his shorts, mask, pads and gloves the assassin walked further into the room.

"I'll just be a second babe," he told Luna as he disappeared through a door leading to a side room. The turtle woman meanwhile was gently laying Michelle in a cradle. Tucking her in and gently caressing her bald head.

 _Don't worry; I'll be your mommy for now,_ she thought with a nervous smile on her beak.

In the side room the assassin was standing in front of several security monitors, each showing various parts of the mansion. One showed were Tony kept a careful watch on Donatello who continued to fix the TVs. The black masked turtle chuckled at the sight.

Another camera revealed the cellar, as it was usually dark it used infrared light and thus the image was in black and white. He could clearly see where April was still shackled to the wall.

"Hm, you know she could actually help making my trap even more complicated for them," Leonardo mused. Then his focus went on the middle monitor, the biggest one. A message had started flashing on it.

"Perimeter alarm disabled for half an hour?" he growled. "Possible security breach? Why am I getting that first now?"

Quickly he punched in a command on the console in front of him, images began playing in fast forward on the big monitor, going through the various rooms, but they revealed nothing so far. Then suddenly the image on the monitor split in half to show two.

"Ooooh, oh of course. Only he could do that without Tony or me noticing." The Assassin frowned but strangely enough, he was smiling.

One image was from the cellar, it showed in black and white were Luna was talking with a cloaked figure. The other was from master bedroom. Again, the turtle woman was talking with a cloaked figure.

"Donatello!" the assassin chuckled. "Oh you mute bastard, you of course didn't realize I had a little help beefing up my security. Hm, he was quicker to arrive than I thought though; this could mean they are already with the teenagers. Crap that's a little faster than I anticipated; I don't think the trap is quite ready yet."

"Ugh, guess we are on phase 2 then," Leonardo sighed. "I was hoping to have a little fun before doing this to her."

Casually he walked back to the entrance to his room. Luna was sitting on the edge of the bed, obviously waiting for him. Calmly and betraying no emotions, Leonardo approached and sat beside her. The Turtle woman looked at him nervously but did try and smile, it was very weak.

"So Luna, tell me something," Leonardo glanced at her, still not showing what he was thinking. "How is it working for my brothers?"

"W-what?" Luna's eyes opened wide in shock and that was probably all that was needed to confirm it for the assassin. She tried to say something but basic-green hand quickly and forcefully was put over her beak.

"Don't even try," the assassin said in a hissing whisper to the terrified woman.

"You ran out on me, disappeared for a while and then just up and came back. You honestly thought I wouldn't have realized that you found my brothers, they took you in and then you agreed to work for them?" Leonardo scowled for a moment but then smiled.

"I take it you've told my brother everything you know?" he asked and finally let go of the woman's beak. She didn't answer.

The strike was so quick that Luna barely realized what had happened before she was thrown to the floor and her cheek was in pain. Leonardo watched her from the bed and lowered the hand he had used to strike the woman.

"I asked you a question," he growled and rose up.

Luna whimpered and curled up on the floor, shaking badly. She yelped when the assassin grabbed her arm and forced her to rise up again. Leonardo used his free hand to force the woman to look at him; he was not fazed by the tears in her eyes and pleas from her beak.

"Did you tell my brother everything you know?" he asked again.

When the woman still didn't answer he started to squeeze her upper arm very hard. Luna cried out in pain. Michelle woke up at the noise and began wailing. The assassin ignored it and just kept Luna in place, still squeezing her arm hard.

"P-please… let me go…" Luna cried and tried to break free but Leonardo was just too strong.

"I will if you answer my question," the assassin simply said in a cold voice. He hid his annoyance at the wailing child, he could already see that Luna wanted to go and calm her down. The woman kept glancing to the cradle despite being in pain.

"Alright… yes… I told him everything…" the turtle woman confessed.

Leonardo threw her immediately towards the cradle, fortunately his aim was for the floor next to it and that's where Luna landed harshly. He watche as she scrambled to her feet and instantly went to try to calm down the crying child. She ignored the pain in the arm while picking up Michelle and started to rock her back to sleep.

Luna was barely holding it together, tears still streamed down her cheeks and the arm the assassin had squeezed really hurt. She also knew that being allowed to calm Michelle down was just a momentary reprieve, the assassin still stood behind her probably ready to question her some more. Michelle was though thankfully cooperative this time around, the infant was already half asleep and had soon stopped wailing.

The woman put the child back to the cradle and took a step back from it. Slowly she turned around and blinked in surprise. The assassin was gone and so were his clothes and gear. Luna looked frantically around then hurried to the door and tried to open it. It was locked.

"Going somewhere?" Luna froze and turned around; the assassin was back but now fully clothed. He had simply stepped into the monitor room while dressing up again.

"I-I…" Luna gulped.

"You weren't originally in my plan, Luna. But seeing how things are, I think it will just make my trap all that much sweeter," he said and started to approach.

Luna pressed herself up against the closed and locked door, trembling in fear. She winched when the assassin cracked his knuckles while he continued to shorten the gap between them.

"I'm really sorry about this, but just consider it the punishment for backstabbing me," Leonardo grabbed for her right arm and pulled her closer. Then he raised his fist for a strike, his eyes were cold and emotionless.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

"So you are a what?" Leonardo asked for clarification.

"Interdimensional Magistrate," the mask-less Raphael repeated grinning. He then patted his Mikey on the shoulder. "And he's one of my deputies."

The two off-world turtles and the two teenage turtles had moved to the entertainment area to sit there. The off-world Raphael had then began to explain things for the two ninjas.

"So let me get this straight, it's your job to imprison your brother?" Raph snorted. "Good job so far."

"Actually no, one of our jobs is yes to prevent him from messing around in what we call AU dimensions. I'm afraid it's up the local authorities to actually imprison him and unfortunately the laws are on his side," the magistrate clarified.

"Lack of evidences that is and bounty hunting is actually a legal trade so, yeah," the deputy explained.

"Ok but what about your Donatello, that you sent after our Mikey?" Leonardo asked with a frown.

"Oh he's more of a freelance worker. He works for us, when is suits him and every time it deals with our dear brother Leonardo it suits him," the mask-less turtle shrugged. "There is a bitter rivalry between them."

"More like hate-hate relationship," his brother growled. "The bastard cut his tongue out."

"Excuse me?" Leo was hoping he had misheard that. The two off-world turtles became a little bit more uncomfortable. The magistrate cleared his throat looking away.

"Our Leonardo cut Donatello's tongue out, shortly after he went nuts on all of us," he muttered.

Both Raph and Leo grimaced at that information, but they didn't get much further in their talk. Into the lair stalked the cyborg holding Mikey over his shoulder. After him came the black clad Donatello.

"Mikey!" the red masked turtle jumped up from the chair and so did Leonardo. They rushed towards the cyborg that slowly began sliding the unconscious turtle off.

"What happened?" the blue clad one asked as he knelt down beside his brother.

"We…" the cyborg looked at the dogi-wearing turtle that was approaching his brothers near the entertainment area. The off-worlders had decided to stay out of the way.

"We found him. I was right about Sinda being untrustworthy, he attacked him," the mechanical turtle told them. "The other fellow over there, he fought him off."

"Where is he now?!" Raph growled as he stood up and reached for his sai.

"Disappeared." The cyborg sighed and put his hand as gently as he could on the shoulder of the fuming turtle. "When I arrived ready to drill him with my laser gun, he apparently decided that he was outgunned and booked. He reached for his dimensional gadget and disappeared through a portal."

"That's Sinda's style," the magistrate chimed in from where he stood. "He rather run and live to fight another day. I would worry, he will probably return."

"That's reassuring," Leonardo muttered as he gathered Mikey up in his arms and stood up. "Well at least Mikey is ok, just slight gash on the back of his head. He will probably have a headache when he wakes up."

"I'll take him," Raph grunted and grabbed his unconscious brother from Leo; he then disappeared with the orange clad turtle into the infirmary. The cyborg grinned with the organic part of his mouth but then turned to the off-world turtles.

"Ok, who are those?" he finally decided to ask.

"Oh, they are the assassin's brothers," Leonardo explained. "Don't worry, they are on our side."

"And what are they doing here?" Raphael asked not hiding the suspicion in his canned voice.

"Going to help you nap our dear brother," the magistrate responded folding his arms and smiled.

"How exactly?" the cyborg grunted.

"Donny here has a plan but has so far refused to indulge us," the mask-less turtle patted the black clad one on the shoulder. "I think it's high time you did. Don't worry I'll translate."

Donatello began moving his hands in complex signals. Leonardo was a bit surprised at first but then remembered what his counterpart had done to this one. He cringed at the thought of having his speech ability so cruelly removed.

 _No wonder he was so silent,_ Leo thought.

"Okay, if I understood you right here Donny, you want to lure him in a trap. Make him think he's being delivered what he wants," Magistrate Raphael translated the hand signals.

"He already has one of us, our Donatello," Leonardo told them, the three other turtles glanced at him and two showed visible surprise.

"That's unusual," the mask-less turtle raised an eye ridge. "Leo doesn't usually go after counterparts of us."

"And we really don't know anything more really, we are in the black about what he wants, we just know he has some plan or another." The teenage turtle shrugged. Again, the turtle in the dogi began moving his hands. Magistrate Raphael slapped his own forehead with a palm of his hand.

"Of course, naturally, he wants you," the mask-less turtle said pointing at Leo who groaned.

 _Why am I not surprised?_ the blue-masked turtle thought.

"Guess you're the 'lucky Leo' this time," the grey-vest wearing Mikey snorted.

"Lucky Leo?" Leonardo just didn't think these words fit right now.

"He does this regularly, goes on what we call a Leo hunt. He hunts down, sometimes captures and imprisons them, other times he just faces them and leaves it at that. He goes at least once a year but has gone more often in a single year," the magistrate explained.

"Yeah, yeah, he told me the last time we met," Leonardo told them.

"The last time you met?" Both mask-less Raphael and Deputy Mikey asked at the same time. Even Donatello under his black face-covering mask looked surprised.

"Oh right, we didn't tell you," the blue clad one said palmed his face. "You see it started a year ago…"

When Leonardo finished the story, Raph returned from the infirmary followed by now conscious Mikey. The two turtles approached the cyborg and Leo.

"Hey look who's back to the land of the living." The red masked turtle grinned patting Mikey hard on the carapace. The younger turtle grinned but it froze when seeing the three clothed turtles.

They got no time to explain anything. In the middle of the room a black door-shaped portal opened. Everybody went for their weapons and got ready for potential invasion. Instead, a small object flew through it and the portal closed. Leonardo approached where it had landed, embedded on the post of the bridge that went over the pool. It was a shuriken and on it a photo was fastened.

 _Oh god._ Leo grabbed his beak. The other turtles approached as well.

The photo contained Luna chained up to a wall. She had bruises and cuts all over her body. The woman seemed to be unconscious and hung on her chains.

Donatello pushed forward and snatched the photo off the shuriken, for a moment the silent turtle only stared at the photo. His hands began to shake and underneath his mask, he gritted his teeth.

"Let me see bro." The magistrate approached him and got the photo from his brother. He grimaced at the sight of the tortured woman but then turned the image to reveal the blank white space. It wasn't blank, it had a message.

"She sure is lovely isn't she Donny, I have a feeling you think so too. I'll be in touch soon, say hi to Leo for me. Your loving older brother, Leonardo," Raphael read the message, he then passed the photo to whoever wanted it. Leo took it and he frowned.

"He'll be in touch soon?" he looked at the others. Raph took over the picture from him.

"Ok you might want to explain this, as far as we knew she was working for the assassin," he said. The teenage turtle was unprepared for the swift movement; suddenly Donatello was right in front of him glaring at him from underneath his yellow goggles. Swiftly the turtle removed his head-mask, revealing his olive green head and scar-ridden beak.

"Whoa calm down, Donny," Magistrate Raphael got between his brother and his counterpart. The magistrate pushed the black clad turtle further back. "Look he didn't know."

"Know what?" Raph growled, hiding well that he had been unsure what would happen next. His counterpart sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly.

"Couple of months ago, Don here won Luna over. She had recently moved in with the assassin but tried to run away when he got abusive. Don helped her and well they fell for each other. Luna wanted to help against the assassin, even if it meant going back to him and pretend still loving him. She has given us valuable information on his movements and it's thanks to her that we could come here," mask-less Raphael explained to them.

All eyes went on Donatello. The turtle was positively fuming, grinding his teeth and scowling hard in anger and hate. However, when he noticed the attention he swiftly put up the mask again concealing his whole head. He turned away and walked off. As he walked past the training dummy, he glared at it and then in a swift motion pulled out a Jo staff and hammered it at the inanimate object. The force was so hard that the dummy broke off and flew across the lair.

 **End chapter 9**

* * *

 **A/N:** There was originally here at the end a remark from Mikey about the Ninja Master being angry and Raph going "no Duh" at it. However as I was revising, I removed those lines as an experiment and realized the chapters just ends better on The Ninja Master slaughtering the training dummy and nothing else is said, gives a stronger message I think just how angry he is right now.


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 01/04 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 **2k3 TMNT-World**

"How are you feeling sensei?" Leonardo asked as he knelt beside Splinter's bed.

"Better, my son." The old rat nodded. He had been awake for a while but the effects of the drug lingered in him. The blue masked turtle had already informed him about the situation and the three newly arrived visitors.

"I'm worried Master Splinter, not only do we have to deal with this Assassin and get Donny away from him but we also apparently must take this Sinda into account," the turtle told him and frowned.

"Yes, it turned out that though this Sinda is an enemy of our enemy, he's not our friend," the ninja master said thoughtfully. "What of our three new visitors, I would like to speak with them."

"Ah." Leo rubbed the back of his neck. "Sensei, they kind of requested not to see you."

"Oh?" Splinter raised one brow in surprise. His son nodded smiling uneasily.

"You see, back in their world they can live in the open and their Splinter is currently dying in a nursing home. They have given him a week to live at most. They do not wish to see a healthy Splinter as it would just remind them that much worse that theirs is fading away," Leonardo explained. "I hope you understand."

"Of course I do, Leonardo, it must be hard for them but at least they are not alone in their grief. Give them my condolences; I will just remain in my chamber then. I do think I need the rest anyway; this drug the assassin used is very effective." Splinter nodded with a smile.

"I'll relay your message," Leo said with a short bow and prepared to stand up. He and Splinter looked over when there was a knock on the door. It slowly slid open and Mikey peeked in.

"Uh, Master Splinter? The Magistrate changed his mind, he has requested to speak with you," the orange clad turtle said.

"By all means Michelangelo, show him in," Splinter told his son. Mikey nodded and opened the door more fully and gestured somebody to enter.

Into the room walked Magistrate Raphael. The mask-less turtle halted for a moment when seeing the rat on the bed, but then he placed his right fist on the open left palm and bowed.

"Thank you for seeing me Ninja Master," he said respectfully. Splinter just nodded and gestured the turtle to come closer. Leo decided to stand nearby, but his brother's counterpart knelt down.

"What is it you wish to speak of?" the rat asked after a short silence. Raphael had his head bowed, his gloved hands rested on his knees.

"I wish to apologize from my brother's actions against you and your sons. I fear despite my title that I do not have the authority to arrest him, but it is still my duty to stop him. I will do anything in my power to do that and have your son Donatello returned to you," the mask-less turtle said and finally looked up.

"Hm, I must admit that your brother has made me very curious. If you don't mind me asking, we were told that your brother Leonardo used to be much like our Leonardo. Is that true?" Splinter asked. Raphael smiled and gave the blue masked turtle a short glance.

"Down to the blue mask and the twin katana on his back," the turtle answered. Leonardo's brow rose high when hearing that.

"We even used to live in a lair exactly like the one you are living in now," the turtle added and now the old rat's brow rose high.

"Dimensional traveling can be very messy, especially when you go between alternative realities. A single decision can make a whole lot of difference; it's like flipping a coin. Sometimes you get tails but sometimes heads," Raphael said and looked around. "And judging by what I have so far heard and seen you guys have not arrived yet at the point were my Leonardo did the coin flipping, so to speak."

"You are telling me that something happened that made your Leonardo like he is today?" Leo asked half grimacing at the thought.

"A whole lot of things happened." Raphael sighed and rubbed his left temple tiredly. "We were battling an old enemy and almost all of us died. Leonardo took it very hard and became angry and aggressive. He started to push us around to train harder. He was getting out of control; he even lashed out on Splinter sometimes. Something he would never have done before."

"Splinter, our Splinter, decided to send him away. To another teacher who would help Leonardo channel all this anger and resentment he was feeling," the dark green turtle continued and became very sad. "We have rued that day ever since."

"Why is that?" Splinter asked frowning.

"Leonardo didn't like that idea, in fact he went ballistic. Screamed at sensei for daring to send him away from his brothers. Splinter didn't budge, but before Leo could be sent packing he stormed out of the lair. Splinter told us not to follow him since he figured Leo needed to be alone to cool down and would return," Raphael continued. "But he didn't come back at all. He just disappeared and we didn't hear from him in a while."

"We really don't know where he went but he returned two months later totally changed and transformed, the most noticeable change was that he was wearing black." The magistrate shook his head. "He had also picked up few skills that even surpassed our Splinter."

"And that was the point he became what he is today?" Leo asked but was surprised that his brother's counterpart didn't nod nor confirm it.

"Yes and no I would say. First, we were just so darn glad to have him back that we didn't notice straight away that he was still angry and resentful. He became very disrespectful towards our sensei and stopped listening to him all together. He began relentlessly training us; we were under threat of violence if we didn't comply. We tried to rebel," Raphael told and sighed sorrowfully. "But he was too much for even all three of us together back then."

"And then he began turning on our Donatello, Leonardo hated when he spoke with too much jargon. He started to bully him to shut up if he couldn't speak simple English. One day Leo snapped, he attacked Don and in that struggle ended up cutting Donny's tongue out. Growling: 'If you can't speak English then don't speak at all. In fact let me help you with that'." The magistrate fell silent and hung his head.

"I was too late," he whispered. "I can still hear Donny beg for mercy in my nightmares, his screams when Leo mutilated him. I was too late to stop all of this. Mikey was terrified of him and didn't dare to come close and Splinter… he had given up on trying to contain him."

"Shortly after that he disappeared, left us a message that he was getting tired of us wimps and left. We all changed after that. Splinter became much frailer, couldn't always concentrate on our training. Mikey completely lost all humor in him; I haven't heard him laugh in over ten years. Donny, he of all turtles began training relentlessly. And I? I don't know. I realized that I had to hold what was left of our remaining family together. I… I realized that my attitude and anger would not help; I feared I would turn on them as Leo had turned on us. I guess I finally mellowed out." Raphael chuckled weakly and raised his head.

"Few months later our dimension was contacted by an organization called the InterDimensional Alliance. Apparently some humans had been experimenting with dimensional technology and succeeded, our dimension became part of that alliance and because of the multitude of different sentient species in it we could come out of hiding," the magistrate continued with the story.

"The alliance assured our protection but it was unnecessary, our humans were quicker to accept us than we had figured they would. I took a job as a magistrate for the alliance, my jurisdiction is my home dimension and my main job was to take care of interdimensional crimes in our world and help with interdimensional matters," he explained. "A year later Leo resurfaced, and my superiors asked me to keep an eye on him. They suspected him of messing around in other dimensions. We have never gotten solid proofs, only words against words which are not enough I'm afraid."

"And Leonardo exploits it; bounty hunting is a legal trade in our dimension. Leonardo is almost a celebrity because he has often captured dangerous criminals on the loose, and has been hired by governments. So in a way, he has the law on his side in my dimension," the turtle grunted. "He's phenomenally rich, can afford expensive lawyers that can sing him out of any court. He always has a plan and a back up plan for that plan and a back up plan for the back up plan."

"I can see your dilemma with him." Splinter nodded in understanding. "It is always hard to see a loved one fall into darkness like this."

"Mikey still hasn't given completely up on him; he sometimes tries to reach out for him. I… I guess I just want to nail him and throw him into jail. Donatello hates him and who can blame him; in fact there is a fierce rivalry between them," Raphael told him. The turtle bowed. "I thank you for listening to me and for your audience. I hope I'll be able to return your son to you soon."

"No, thank you and I wish you all the best in your vigil against your brother," Splinter said. The magistrate nodded, stood up and left the room. The ninja master noticed that his son was obviously troubled.

"Something wrong, my son?" he asked. Leonardo bit his lips, wondering what he should say.

"I-I don't know sensei, judging by what he told us, then our dimension is much more alike to theirs than the dimension the cyborg comes from. That means I could face the exact same choices and the assassin did… I might…" The turtle halted and gulped.

"We don't know that yet Leonardo. We might be similar but that doesn't mean we are the same," his sensei said. "Now, you might want to go and work with the others to receive your brother from his clutches."

"Yes sensei," Leonardo bowed.

* * *

 **Assassin's world**

"Wake up sleepyhead."

Don grunted, somebody was nudging him and trying to wake him up. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that somebody was crouching in front of him. The turtle tried to ward off the hand on his shoulder that was shaking him. Groaning he rose slowly up and looked at the person in front of him. It was the assassin.

That woke Donatello up. He would have sprung up if the shackles hadn't reminded him that he was tied up. The assassin laughed at his prisoner's reaction.

The assassin was crouched in front of him; he was only wearing his shorts and mask. The purple masked ninja almost hugged the wall, not necessarily out of fear but more because Leonardo's breath was really bad and this was the furthest he could get away.

"I'm up, I'm up," Don made a face as he finally realized that it was alcohol the assassin stunk of. The turtle couldn't remember when he fell asleep, but he noticed that the TVs and the toolbox had been moved to a far corner, out of his reach.

"I can see that," Leonardo snickered. His speech was strangely slurred. Then he grabbed a bottle with a yellowish liquid from the floor and drank from it.

 _Oh terrific, he's drunk. No telling what he'll do in that state._ The ninja cringed; the assassin was bad enough when sober. He really had no desire to learn what kind of a drunk he was.

"Ya know you take them in, you feed them and you clothe them and… you feed them, no wait I said that already… anyway you are nice to them, ya know," the assassin continued and assumed a more serious expression. "Uh come to think of it she didn't wear that much."

Don raised an eye-ridge and could only wonder what the drunk turtle was rambling on about. The assassin fell silent for a moment and almost seemed lost in thought. Then he looked at his prisoner with mild uncertainty in his eyes.

"Then they just ditch you and leave you and make friends with your enemies and betray you and… man I have no idea what I'm talking about anymore." Leonardo drank from the bottle.

"Don't fall in love, Donny. It's just a pain in the ass," he grunted.

 _Thank you for the sound advice,_ Donatello thought but didn't say anything out loud. Seemed though for now that the assassin was being somewhat docile and he couldn't complain about that. Then he wondered just how docile his captor was.

"What's so special about us? Why pick me over all the countless of Donatello's you could probably have taken to play your brother. Why is my Leo so especially interesting for you? I saw your wall of horrors, some of the Leo's there looked just as much like you and mine does," the purple-wearing turtle asked not really expecting any answer.

"You really want to know?" Leonardo looked at him; an uncanny grin came on his beak.

 _For some reason I am suddenly reconsidering that question._ Don thought.

"You are right; there were other Donatellos I could have chosen, or Raphaels, or Michelangelos and even Leonardos. I picked you for a specific reason." The assassin stood up unsteadily.

"Sit tight, I need to sober up first then I'll need my equipment and then we are going on a little trip," he said and left the room.

 _Great… no wait gift horse and mouth, Don. This might just be what you need._ The purple clad turtle held back a grin.

The grin faded away when it took several hours before anything happened. By the time the assassin returned dressed in more familiar outfit, Don had fallen asleep again. Leonardo picked up a remote and pressed a button that released the shackles of the turtle. That did wake Donatello up and it took a moment for him to realize he had been released. Don rubbed his wrists and then glanced at his captor. The assassin looked more like his usual self and the turtle had a feeling he was indeed sober.

"And no funny business Donny, you need my dimension traveler to get back to your world and I'm leaving it behind. Oh and don't worry about your appearance, we can be in the open here," the assassin definitely sounded far more coherent now and gestured Donatello to follow him out of the room.

The purple masked one frowned while wondering what he meant. The turtle stood up and followed Leonardo out of the room. They were in the same hallway and that led to the hobby room, but they walked past it and to the main door that led out. Don's eyes enlarged when he saw there was daylight and waiting for them was a black convertible.

"Wait, we are just going to drive?" he asked startled.

"No of course not, Tony is going to drive, you're too young to drive here and it's only been like six or so hours since I drank," the assassin snorted. It was then the ninja noticed that indeed the human servant sat behind the wheels.

"What time is it?" Don looked around as they approached the car.

"Early morning, about 8:30 or something," the assassin shrugged and opened the door on the passenger site. "Hop in."

 _Best just stay passive for now; I have to admit I am a bit curious what make us so special to him._ Don jumped into the back seat. Leonardo pulled up the seat and sat down. Tony started the car and drove away from the mansion.

"Wait, you can just drive into town just like that?" Don suddenly realized and leaned forward to stare at the black clad one. Leonardo glanced back with a smug smile.

"You honestly think I can have a servant, a car and a huge mansion if I was a wanted criminal?" he asked chuckling. The teenage turtle blinked.

"You aren't?" he asked stunned. That made both the assassin and Tony laugh. Don was even more surprised when basic green turtle gave the human a rather friendly nudge with an elbow.

"Can you believe this guy," the assassin snorted. "And he's supposed to be the brainy one."

"Forgive my momentary stupidity but so far you haven't exactly been portraying yourself as a model citizen," Donatello pointed out with a heavy frown.

"Look, let's just say that most of the outside world is unaware of the more secret parts of my life. Those who do know either are dead or lack any evidences to do anything about it. As far as people know here in my world, I'm world famous bounty hunter." The assassin leaned back in his seat with hands behind his neck. "And that's a legal trade. In fact, I have hunted down very dangerous and deadly criminals. I'm a hero in many parts of this world and few others."

 _Ok, him and hero don't fit in the same sentence._ Don covered his face, he realized now that this guy was far more dangerous than he previously thought.

"You see Don, it's all a matter about knowing how to behave and when. For the general public I'm a hero, for a selected few… I'm a monster," the turtle chuckled. Donatello removed the hands from his face and saw that the assassin had removed his mask and was wearing sunglasses. Black naturally.

"Great, so basically if I try to attack you, I would be arrested," Don snorted and folded his arms. Leonardo glanced over his shoulder.

"Precisely, so be on your best behavior when we reach the city. Not everybody gets a ride with me and there are people who would sell an arm or leg to do just that," he grinned and turned back.

"Wait don't you think they will find it strange I look like your Donatello?" the ninja wondered with a worried frown.

"Nah, my Donatello hardly shows his face in public so not everybody is aware how he exactly looks like. Besides you pass as a normal humanoid turtle too and your outfit would just tell them you're a fan of me and my brothers' old days," the assassin explained.

"Whoa hold on. What do you mean by that?" the purple masked turtle asked confused.

"You'll see," the assassin grinned.

They arrived at the city and it looked suspiciously like New York to Donatello. However, the turtle was the least shocked at that. What surprised him was the total lack of reaction when they drove in. Hardly any driver gave them a second glance. Others maybe pointed while talking with the passengers but the smiles on their faces only confirmed the assassin's words. The public knew and loved him.

Tony stopped at a red light once and Don took a casual glance around. A white car stopped beside them and a kid was glued to the window staring at them. He noticed the assassin turning his head towards the car, the child smiled and waved. The purple clad one was stunned at the warm smile portrayed on Leonardo's beak as he waved back.

 _Ok this is just so wrong,_ Donatello thought. The car drove on and soon it entered a very familiar neighborhood. _Wait a minute; this looks like the… you have got to be kidding me._

The convertible was approaching a very familiar looking warehouse. The differences were though the fence surrounding it and the gate with the guards. Don raised an eyebrow when seeing the sign.

"See one of the Turtles old lairs; completely remodeled to look exactly like it was before the Turtles were forced to flee it. Museum opens at 10:00 Am," he read on the sign.

"Look familiar?" the assassin asked as Tony parked the car. Leonardo jumped out of the vehicle but Don slowly climbed out of it, still not taking his eyes off the warehouse.

"Tony, you stay in the car," the assassin ordered his servant who just nodded. The black clad turtle gestured the purple one to follow.

"Good morning, Leonardo. Beating the crowd I see," one of the guards at the gate greeted them.

"Yeah, wanted to show my young friend here how I used to live," the assassin said and patted Don on the shoulder. The guards just nodded and the other one unlocked the gate and opened it.

They walked right into the warehouse and Don was stunned to see exact replicas of the Battle-Shell and the Shell-Cycle, and waiting in the middle of the building was a familiar elevator car.

 _If I see what I think I'll see when I go down that elevator…_ Don gulped as they entered and the elevator began descending down.

The elevator door opened and they stepped outside. Don's jaw dropped and his eyes enlarged. The turtle was speechless as he took in what was right in front of him. It was the exact likeness of the lair, down to his workshop and the entertainment area. For a moment it was like had just stepped through a portal that led back home, but then he noticed the small signs all around.

"The sign describe various things about the lair and what we used to do," the assassin explained and walked a bit further into the lair, he turned to face the very stunned teenage turtle.

"That's what makes you so special Donny. You and your Leo are not just alternatives of my Donny and me," he said with a devilish smirk. "Our worlds used to mirror each other."

"W-what?" Don looked at the black clad turtle confused.

"Eleven or so years ago, I was exactly like your Leo and my Donny was exactly like you," the assassin clarified.

"W-what happened?" Donatello whispered still just too shocked.

"What always happens, you love someone, you care for someone and then they betray you. You let an enemy live and that enemy comes and destroys your home," the black masked turtle snorted.

 **End Chapter 10**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 10/04 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **Assassin's world**

Donatello looked around the very familiar surroundings before he turned his attention back to the assassin. The black-clad turtle seemed bored and just looked around with no interest. Leonardo hadn't really answered his question at all but it didn't seem like the assassin was going to go further into the subject.

"So seen all you like? Know now why I am so interested in you and Leo." Leonardo glanced at the teenager.

 _I at least have the idea now._ Donatello frowned in thought. Somehow, he found this even more uncanny and disturbing than Turtotopia had been. The differences had been so clear there. Here by looks of things the differences were nearly superficial. He decided to take a slight stroll around.

He stopped in front of the slide door that led to Splinter's chamber, he almost felt compelled to go in. The turtle opened it and was amazed how exactly alike the room was, even though he was prepared for it. He walked inside and couldn't stop being amazed how every detail was accurate.

"If this is a museum why aren't there any security cameras?" Donatello asked when looking up to the ceiling.

"We don't need them down here, there is only one way to this lair and that's the elevator. Instead, there are just motion detectors; the guards above have turned them off. In essence nobody but the two guards know we are here," the assassin explained, he stood in the doorway.

"What about the other lair entrance. If this is exactly like my lair then there would be another entrance." Don glanced back at Leonardo.

"It's been sealed off, just so people don't get themselves lost in the sewers," he explained and took a step inside.

 _Hate to say it but that's sensible,_ Don thought and turned back to look around. _Guess I can scratch that escape attempt off the list._

"So where is your Splinter?" he asked and turned around. The assassin was busy doing something with his sunglasses that he had removed.

"Hm?" he looked up. "Oh the old rat? He's dying in an old folk's home."

"Let me guess, you couldn't care less," Donatello guessed. The other turtle hung the sunglasses on his shirt and began examining his gloved right hand.

"He trained me, I'll give him that," Leonardo said with a slight shrug.

"Trained you, fed you, saved your life when you first mutated. Pretty much took care of you," the purple masked one retorted.

"If you are going into rant about honor and stuff like that, you can save your breath. I decided long time ago that honor just got in my way," the assassin said.

"This honorable rat of yours decided to send me away, just because he didn't agree with my life style choices. All I wanted to do was ensure the protection of our family, but no, I was too angry, too aggressive. Just supposed to go to some fool in Japan on a stupid pilgrimage," he rolling his eyes and shook his head.

"He thought he could just send me away just like that, away from my brothers. Well I went, but not were he wanted. And what happened? Our enemies attacked our home and nearly killed them all. When I returned they were scattered all over the city, I really enjoyed rubbing that fact into his nose that they had needed me. I killed the leader for this attack on our home, someone I used to actually respect and… care for," the assassin continued and growled slightly. "But was there much gratitude that I got rid of our enemy? No of course not, I didn't do the honorable thing and let her live when she lost. Well if honor has to stay in my way to protect those I care about, I just say good riddance to it. Eye for an eye works better for me."

"You care about somebody? Somehow I find that an oxymoron," Donatello grunted and prepared to be assaulted. However, the black clad turtle only grinned wickedly.

"I used to care about those ungrateful morons. I put my life in the line several times for them, but no more. There will be no more Mr. Nice Honorable Guy. No 'Master Splinter says' whine. I'm through with it all; all it brought me were enemies that kept coming back. Now most of them I deal with permanently." The black clad turtle flashed an even wider grin turned around and stepped outside.

"Sounds more to me like you are the ungrateful one," Don argued back, deep inside his head he was wondering from where the nerve to argue with his captor had come. _What on earth are you doing? You are his prisoner, captive, you are in no position to be arguing about what honor is. Didn't you listen to him, he doesn't even care._

"I'm in a good mood today Donny boy, I wouldn't go ruin it if I were you," Leonardo said and turned towards the purple clad one who was walking out of the room. The assassin gestured to the elevator, his expression was neutral.

 _Hm, the pool is here. Maybe my counterpart built the access way like I did,_ Donatello had noticed the pool with the river water. Unfortunately, his captor did so as well.

"You can try if you want, but all the tunnels down there have collapsed when this lair was attacked many years ago," he said.

 _Dammit,_ Don didn't show his frustration and just began walking to the elevator. He would just have to find another way to escape.

They arrived back in the warehouse and walked outside. The two turtles walked in silence towards the gate, Don was heavy in thought wondering how not to return to the mansion with the assassin. However, any plan to simply bolt were quickly dashed; in a rather friendly gesture, Leonardo put one arm around his shoulders.

"So did you like what you saw down there, did it answer some questions?" he asked casually as they approached the gate. The guards immediately opened it for them.

"It was interesting," Don muttered glancing warily at the hand resting on him. The assassin waved the guards and then steered the younger turtle towards the car.

"So how about we head home," Leonardo said smirking as they approached the vehicle. The purple masked ninja scowled, he wasn't sure he would exactly enjoy going back.

"Tony, you go home and prepare the others. We are officially on phase 4," the assassin ordered the human who nodded and started the car. Donatello frowned and looked at the black clad one who was picking up from his pocket the dimension traveler.

"Ah, didn't you say you left it at home?" the ninja asked surprised. He heard the car driving away, leaving them in the parking lot. "Ok what is going on?"

"This," Leonardo said and operated the traveler. A black portal opened and before Don could react, the assassin was already dragging him through it.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

Once through the portal the purple masked one immediately noticed that they were in an empty abandoned building. Maybe a warehouse but could also have been a factory, if not even both. The teenage turtle looked around a bit startled and confused.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Brooklyn, just not my Brooklyn, your Brooklyn," the assassin told him simply and smiled wickedly.

"You see Donny-boy, this is my trap. My brothers are by now in your lair discussing the wild theories they are coming up with on how to rescue you, your brothers are discussing it with them along with your Splinter. You see, I originally wanted to use you to destroy my Donatello's reputation and generally mess with him. That going down the train, I've decided to try the next best thing and just plain kill him," Leonardo's smile turned malicious and Donatello took a step back in horror.

"You're going to kill him? Your own brother?" he asked startled.

"That's the plan indeed and if Raph and Mikey go with him, that much better since Raph's job nowadays is to keep an eye on me and my activities. Sort of really annoying," the assassin chuckled.

 _That sick twisted bastard. That does it, I'm booking and warning them!_ Donatello took another step back before quickly turning around and making a mad dash for the nearest window.

He didn't get far, something pricked him and the turtle realized too late that it was a dart. Donatello crumbled to the ground unconscious, behind him stood the assassin aiming his dart gun.

"Honestly, Donny, you thought I would just let you leave like that? The party is just getting started," Leonardo laughed and produced straps from his belt. The assassin walked over to the sleeping turtle and hog-tied the ninja. He dragged the unconscious prisoner to one corner and rested him up against the wall.

Several minutes later, a portal opened in the building and Tony stepped through. He held Leonardo's katana sword in its sheath and the rifle. The man handed the items to his master who immediately strapped the weapons to his back.

"Alright Tony, bring the prisoners over and make sure they are well tied up. Except for the kid of course, we don't need to tie that one up," Leonardo said with a grin. The human just bowed, picked up his own dimension traveler and disappeared through a newly opened portal.

The assassin looked around with hands on his hips. A wide smile plastered on his beak. _Yep overall, things are moving nicely along. Very nicely._

* * *

"There was no body?" Leonardo asked when Raph, Mikey and the cyborg returned to the lair. They had gone to retrieve the body of Michelangelo's mad counterpart.

"No, we went to were Sinda knocked out my counterpart but no, no body," the orange-masked ninja shrugged.

"Well, Sinda sometimes throws bodies of his victims to another dimension, just to make searching for them difficult. He probably did it with this one as well," the magistrate suggested.

"Yeah that's probably it," the deputy agreed with his brother.

Raph opened his mouth to say something but then noticed the steady punching sounds. He glanced towards his punching bag and saw that the dogi wearing Donatello was viciously attacking it. The red clad ninja frowned.

"Is he still at it?" he asked. His mask-less counterpart glanced at his brother and sighed.

"Leo hit a raw nerve now, best just let him vent it out," the magistrate said and turned to his counterpart.

"But he's been at it all night," Mikey mentioned with slight concerned. "Doesn't he get, like tired or something?"

"Him getting tired is not what worries me," Deputy Mike grunted and glanced towards his brother. Then he walked over to the dogi-wearing turtle.

Everybody watched as the gray vest-wearing turtle stopped close by. Donatello didn't seem to have noticed him and just kept attacking the bag. Suddenly the deputy reached forward with both hands and grabbed the black clad one's shoulders. Don struggled, tried to attack the bag but Mike held him.

Finally Donatello stopped and for a moment just stood still. Then he turned to face his brother. The deputy still had both hands on his shoulders, the two off world turtles just stared at each other for a moment. Then the dogi-clad one wrapped his arms around Mike and hugged him tight. The vest-wearing turtle embraced his brother.

"Leave it to Mike, the only one who truly understands him," the others heard the magistrate mutter with smile.

"Ok let's recap the situation." The mask-less Raphael turned to the other turtles. "My brother is holding two Donatellos, one off-world April, her daughter and Luna. Right now all we know is that he's planning something, we can agree that he's most likely going after you Leo, how your brother fits into all of this I can't say right now it's very curious. So far my Leo hasn't done much more safe for when he gave us his cryptic message to Don."

"That would sum it up," Leo nodded in agreement.

"What we do now is making him think he is getting what he wants. What we have to do though is doing it so he doesn't suspect anything," the magistrate told them. Something in the back of his mind was bothering him though, a small detail that was probably important but just wasn't coming through.

"Why don't we just let this Sinda take him out?" Raph asked. "They don't seem to like each other."

"Actually it's more one-sided, it's Leo who doesn't like Sinda… I don't know many who do. Sinda is more just having some disturbing fun with Leo," his counterpart corrected but sounded absent minded, that small detail that refused to reveal itself was really bothering him.

"What's to stop Sinda once he has killed Leonardo to simply kill your brother and any other prisoner he had." The deputy and Donatello were approaching the group. "Sinda has he habit to kill out of enjoyment or when he's bored."

"Wait that doesn't mean we couldn't use it to our advantage that Sinda is after my counterpart," Leo said suddenly. All eyes were on him now.

"The assassin is highly skilled fighter and by the looks of it so is Sinda, so if we could get Sinda to distract the assassin, we could use the opportunity to free the others," the blue masked turtle suggested.

"That sounds sensible actually, what do you think Raph?" Deputy Mike looked at his brother who was now deep in thought. "Oh boy he's zoned out."

"Zoned out?" Leo looked at the magistrate.

"He's thinking, he's realized something doesn't add up and is thinking over everything he knows to try and figure out what it is that doesn't add up," the deputy explained to the younger turtles.

The teenagers looked at each other. That sounded almost more Donatello's territory than Raphs. However, there it was right in front of them and the magistrate had now started to count something silently on his fingers before finally snapping the ones on his right hand.

"The blasted picture. It was addressed to Donny and sent here, that's not possible without… crap Leo knows we are here!" The magistrate had hardly let out these words when a chilly voice suddenly echoed through the lair.

"Oh Leonardo!"

"The… the assassin?" Leo looked around but there was nobody in sight. His counterpart laughed.

"Don't bother Leonardo. I am not in the lair," the assassin said laughing.

The cyborg frowned and started to look around, using his mechanical red eye to scan. He immediately spotted a device in the ceiling. For the normal eye, it just looked like part of the brickwork. The voice was emitting from it.

"I have had surveillance gear in your lair for the whole time since I first discovered your dimension. Your brother Donatello did a fine job finding most of it. However, those were only child toys; the real stuff is well hidden. For one I can easily see your stunned faces," the assassin continued.

"If you have harmed one scale on Donny!" Raph snarled. He was going in circles trying to spot the origin of the voice. His mechanical counterpart sunk his right hand into his arm and pulled out the machine gun.

"Wait," Leo put a hand on the cyborg's arm. "Let's hear what he has to say."

"Don't worry Raphie boy, Donny is still alright. Oh and is that the cyborg I see there, hm you played quite a trick on me pretending to be under my control. I still have your bitch and the brat. But I am afraid your Donatello suffered a permanent brain damage, it's called 'bullet in the brain' syndrome," the assassin continued and cackled.

"What?" the cyborg whispered then the organic part of his face disfigured into a scowl. "WHAT!?"

"Oh and my ever so lovely brothers. Oh Donny, nice to see you. Luna is not doing so fine you know, but I have to admit she is very good in the bed," Leo's counterpart mocked.

The dogi-wearing turtle didn't show any sign of movement. His gray vest clad brother knew him well. Deputy Mike put one hand on his shoulder but said nothing. Donatello sunk his head, and they could almost hear his teeth grind together.

"Ok enough pleasantries, let's cut to the chase," the assassin said and now got everybody's attention.

"The teenagers want their brother Donatello back no doubt, and the cyborg naturally want's his family back. My Donny want's probably Luna safe and sound. We'll see about that. At any rate, I am going to give you all a chance to retrieve the prisoners on one condition."

"And that is?" Leo asked his counterpart. Soft chuckle emerged from device up in the ceiling.

"I'm glad you asked Leonardo, I am glad you asked," the assassin said almost in a whisper. "I want you!"

Everybody looked at Leo who somehow managed to show a neutral expression. He looked into the direction of the device, as the cyborg had pointed it out for him. The blue clad turtle took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Alright, but that means you'll have to let all the prisoners go," Leo said he then glanced at the black-clad Donatello. "Including Luna."

"Face me and beat me and yes I'll even let Luna go," the assassin offered.

"Agreed," the blue clad ninja said.

"Good, we are all in an old machine factory in Brooklyn. Your world that is not mine, see you then," his counterpart said and everything got silent.

"Wait what factory?" Leo called but there was no answer.

"Ok we have to find out all old and probably abandoned machine factories in Brooklyn…" Leonardo stopped when he saw that the dogi-wearing turtle was already heading towards Don's computer in the work corner.

"Don is on it," the magistrate said.

"Someone help put my left arm on again, I might not be able to repair anything with it but at least I can pummel somebody," the cyborg said and stalked towards the work corner were his left arm still lay on the bench. Mikey and Raph went with him to help.

"You sure you want to do this? This is obviously a trap. He knew we were here, he wasn't even surprised that it was all three of us and not just Donny." Magistrate Raphael looked at Leonardo, the blue clad turtle nodded.

"He'll expect a trap now too; he can hear and see us." Deputy Mike pointed out in a low voice.

"Hm, we'll discuss the plans then once outside," Leo whispered and eyed around. "And perhaps have the cyborg scour the lair. No, no time for that, maybe when this mess is finished."

The off-world turtles both nodded in agreement.

* * *

The assassin chuckled as he walked away from the monitors. He took a headset off that had a small microphone and put it on a table. Tony sat in front of another monitor and worked on a console.

"You keep tabs on them Tony, I'll check around and see to it that our welcome party is ready," the assassin said and walked out. It was a small room within the factory; they had made it a temporary surveillance station to keep an eye on the lair.

Leonardo walked into another large room and towards a long conveyor belt. On it was Don, all chained up. The turtle was slowly waking up; he weakly struggled against his bonds before opening his eyes.

"W-what?" he looked around. He was definitely not in the same room

"I can see that my temporary darts still work, they tend to be a bit unpredictable," the assassin said. Don turned his head towards him.

"Ok," he just said.

"I have to admit Don that I lied a little too you," the assassin crouched a bit to be on eye level with the tied turtle.

"I'm not really setting out to kill my brothers. I just said that to rile you up a little bit, I like to do that sometimes, messing with counterparts. If they die trying to rescue all of you then, well fine sure that happens. I just like to show them what I'm willing to do if it ever comes to that, teach them a little lesson about sticking their beaks into my business. My main goal though was always just to get a proper fight with Leo and without any interruptions; I know how impulsive Raph can be. So while two of your brothers and my brothers are busy rescuing you all here from the warehouse I'll finally have my fight," he explained and rose back up.

"You just relax; your brothers will no doubt come for you soon. You are on this belt just to make it more difficult for them to get you." The black masked one turned away. "Sit tight; we'll be having company soon."

"You'll not get away with this!" Don called after him, even though he knew it was futile and rather mood.

The assassin didn't even bother to listen. He was in the other end of the room were April was tied up. The woman glared at the turtle.

"Well your cyborg is probably the most dangerous thing that they can throw at me, my darts don't work on him and he is pretty much unstoppable. But that's were you come in. He'll no doubt want to free you," the assassin said and picked up the woman and slung her over his shoulder.

"You'll not succeed. Raphael has more than metal up his sleeves," the woman growled.

"Yeah, yeah," he said and put the woman on another conveyor belt. "I could tell you what I have in store for him. But that might risk you telling him."

"Whatever you have in mind…" April stopped when the assassin slapped her.

"Shut up for once, bitch," he growled and finished tying her to the belt. "Your daughter is safe for now, but that can change so don't try me."

Leonardo walked away and to the other end of the room. There Luna was chained to the wall. The black clad turtle smirked down at her, but the woman avoided looking at him and suppressed a sob.

"As for you, Don will no doubt try and come for you. He'll be in for a nasty surprise," he laughed and crouched down in front of her.

"So tell me Luna, are you ready to let the party begin?" Leonardo asked and began gently caressing her right thigh with one hand. She did her best to ignore him.

"Don't worry babe, I'm not going to let you die, but I am going to let you suffer for betraying me," the assassin lifted his hand and gently touched Luna's cheek. The turtle woman just closed her eyes and tried to think of something else.

"Aw," the assassin grinned and gently caressed her beak before standing up.

"Well I better get ready," he said and turned away. As the turtle was walking away, he heard a beep. Leonardo looked around and frowned. Quickly he picked up his heat vision goggles and put them on.

"So you are going to play it this way," a calm and steady voice said. The assassin swiftly turned into its direction and definitely saw the heat emanating from a large body.

The beep sounded again and Leonardo removed his goggles. At the same time, right in front of him the Ulfarian criminal flickered into view, grinning madly.

"Oh shit," Leonardo gulped.

"So Leo," Sinda in a swift motion drew up knives from his canister belt. "Wanna come out and play?

 _Crap, crap, crap._ The assassin in most cases would have gone immediately for his weapon. Now was different, his breathing got more frantic and his hands refused to cooperate. Somehow, he slowly managed to reach for his sword.

"I figured you would be using a place like this for your little games, so I have been patiently stalking them. Just waiting for you to emerge," the Ulfarian approached twirling his knives.

Leonardo gritted his teeth once he had a hand on his sword. It made him feel a little more secure. He took a deep breath and managed to calm himself down a little before taking a position drew out his sword. The alien charged and so did he. They clashed in mid air and Sinda tried to slash at him with a knife. The black clad one managed to block it with his katana.

They continued to fight but the assassin strained to keep himself away from the knives and rather strike when Sinda was trying to leap forward or kick. The alien tried to get closer but was kept at a distance due to Leonardo **'s** katana.

The alien did manage to land a kick on the turtle's plastron and he was flung backwards and collided with a wall. The assassin recovered quickly and jumped to his feet. Sinda charged but this time Leonardo waited. When the Ulfarian was close enough, the turtle ducked out of the way. Sinda was too late and crashed into the wall.

Leonardo backed away while the Ulfarian was recovering. He was almost tempted to just book, flee and never return, but he somehow managed to keep it together and just concentrated on fighting.

The assassin rushed forward, hoping to land a hit on Sinda. The Ulfarian saw through it and jumped over Leonardo, landing a crouched position. As he rose, the alien growled something in his own language. They were so busy in their fight that they didn't notice a door deep within the room was slowly opening. Shadowy figure stumbled inside.

The turtle narrowed his eyes on his opponent and got ready again. They clashed again briefly but separated again very soon. It was evident now that Sinda was really just toying with the assassin and leading him on.

Suddenly Leonardo noticed something approaching behind Sinda, the assassin frowned; there was something familiar about that figure. It continued to approach, left wet two toed footprints behind. Mud, slime and water dripped off him. On its three fingered hands were bladed gauntlets and his eyes shone pure madness.

Sinda, who had been about to pounce, noticed that his opponent was looking past him. The Ulfarian sniffed and grimaced at the filthy aroma reaching his nose. The alien glanced back over his shoulder, swiftly turned and scowled.

"Kergja, I thought I finished you!" he growled.

Approaching and now growling was Mad Michelangelo. He was breathing heavily and the insanity shone off from his eyes. Mud and slime covered him; on his plastron was the ugly wound that Sinda had given him. His whole body was covered in ugly black abscesses, some of his veins looked like they were ready to explode from the skin.

"Ok… um ew," the assassin grimaced at the sight. The mad turtle paid him no mind; his thoughts were all bent on Sinda and prepared to attack with his blades.

 **End chapter 11**

* * *

 **A/N: Kergja:** Ulfarian for damn.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 12/04 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **2k3 TMNT-World**

 _Damn he is in a sorry state,_ the assassin thought as mad mutant charged at the Ulfarian.

Sinda growled and blocked the incoming blades with his knives. Mad-Mike again fought like crazy, slashing and stabbing with his bladed hands. His movements were much more intense now and with each and every strike he let out a roar, he was also foaming at the mouth.

 _If I didn't know reptiles didn't get it, I would almost say he had rabies._ Leonardo watched the fight escalate, calming down now and quite willing to just let those two go at it without interfering. Sinda was forced several times to back away, his opponent pushed forward.

 _That must be Mikey's mad counterpart._ Don could now see the fight from his end of the room.

The purple masked turtle had, despite what he knew, sort of hoped Sinda would win his fight with the assassin. He had actually found it quite amusing to see how scared the black clad turtle had been of the Ulfarian. Now however it looked like Sinda would be too distracted with Mad Mike to stop Leonardo from going forward with his plan.

The Ulfarian crashed into some machinery and dropped his knives. He growled at the approaching mutant and in a swift motion grabbed his hands. Mike snarled and growled but didn't otherwise say a word. Sinda looked at the wound on the plastron.

"That was vakvar poison I used on you. You should by all means be dead," the alien growled. Then he frowned. _Then again, he is a mutant._

However, the criminal decided not to waste more time in wondering how the turtle was still alive. Sinda swiftly kicked and let go of Mad-Mikey's hands, he was flung backwards and crashed on some empty boxes. That didn't deter the insane reptile much. Almost instantly, he was rising up growling even louder.

For a moment Mike just stood there glowering at Sinda who had drawn up new knives from his canisters. The turtle roared with saliva spraying out of his mouth. Then he charged ready to strike with his bladed gauntlets. The Ulfarian crouched and jumped before the mutant reached him. The mad one couldn't stop himself in time and collided with the already well dented machine parts. The criminal landed behind him and waited.

 _Oh, I'm probably going to regret this,_ Leonardo thought and decided he couldn't look this gift horse in the mouth. He readied his katana and charged. The Ulfarian looked in his direction and snarled. Just at that moment, Mike had recovered, turned and stalked towards him.

April who was now the closest to the action grimaced when there was a loud thwack and an ear piercing howl. Sinda had managed to block Leonardo's katana with one knife, but he could only block one of Mike's hands with the other. The turtle's free hand had stabbed with the blades right into the Ulfarian's side.

The alien ripped himself violently away and started to back off. He was bleeding and seething. The two turtles advanced on him, one grim faced the other with now an insane chuckle.

 _Ew._ April cringed when Mad Mike lifted his blood covered gauntlet and licked the blood on the blades.

"Ok that was disgusting." Leonardo had noticed this as well. His insane companion ignored him and continued to advance on the injured Ulfarian.

"Alright, Leo, you win this round." Sinda actually grinned for a moment before his body reminded him that he was in pain. He punched a button on his belt and disappeared from view. The two turtles stopped, Mike started to look franticly around.

The assassin noticed were a portal opened further inside the room and a slight blood trail leading towards it. The opening then closed again. The black masked turtle sighed in relief. That was one less problem to worry about.

 _Good god I didn't realize Mike would be that useful,_ he thought and felt his heartbeat return back to normal. _But I better make sure somehow that this doesn't happen again._

The black clad one looked to his side when there was a thud. The insane turtle had collapsed to the floor, his eyes were still open but his breathing was very erratic. Leonardo crouched down beside him and with a slight grimace turned Mike so he lay on the back.

"You don't look so good now do you," he commented. The other turtle didn't response, just stared up for a while before falling unconscious. The assassin shook his head, dragged Mike to a far end of the room and put him in one corner.

"Just a question of time before he bites the big one. Sorry buddy, but I probably should put you out of your misery. But… thanks, thanks for finding me and help me," the black clad turtle muttered and pulled out his rifle. The assassin then aimed it at Mike's head. As he was about to fire, a beeping sound came from his utility belt.

Leonardo pulled out a small device from it and frowned at the message displaying on it. It was from Tony in the surveillance room, company had arrived having located the factory.

 _Dammit, Sinda delayed me. Won't have time to ready the trap Don is on. Oh well at least the one for the cyborg is up,_ he grunted and holstered the rifle. He started to head out but hesitated and looked back at Mike.

"Sorry, but like you usually said… no time," he muttered and quickly disappeared out.

* * *

Leonardo landed on the rooftop of the factory, the blue masked turtle stayed in the crouched position for a moment as he looked around. There was no sign of the assassin but the ninja had nagging feeling that his adversary was well aware that they were here.

The plan was simple or so Leo figured. He was going to face off against the assassin, delay him and keep him distracted. While the others freed the prisoners, Magistrate Raphael figured it would be the easiest way since the black masked turtle would be alone since Sinda had supposedly killed Mikey's mad counterpart. Little did they know that was exactly what the assassin wanted them to do.

Leo knew it wouldn't be easy though, he clearly recalled the skills his counterpart had portrayed in the short sparring match they had a year ago. The others waited outside, hidden. The off-world turtles had warned them that he would be aware of their approach, so Leonardo had to start his match against the assassin before the others could move in.

The turtle rose up and frowned in worry, this was a big factory with several floors. The dogi wearing Donatello had found that out when he finally located what had to be the correct building. There were two main factory rooms and many office areas. He couldn't recall why this factory had been closed though. Now that wasn't very important.

The blue clad turtle took a deep breath. He almost wished Raph and Mikey were with him here. In fact Raph had voiced it that they should just go all against him and force him to release the prisoners. His magistrate counterpart had told him the assassin would be prepared for something like that. He probably wouldn't show himself if they were all on the rooftop, no Leo had to face him alone.

The others had divided into teams, since the building was so big. Mikey and the cyborg were going for the lower floor and the first factory room. Raph and his Magistrate counterpart were going for office rooms and Donatello and Deputy Mike would go for the second factory area.

A door on the roof opened and Leo tensed up a bit. His assassin double stepped outside grinning wickedly. The blue masked turtle refrained from going for his katana swords right away and only stared back with a neutral expression.

"So," the black clad one said as he approached. "You think you can beat me?"

"I don't think, I know," Leo said.

"Confident," the assassin snorted. "But then again, I have heard that song several times."

"If beating you is what it takes to free my brother and the other prisoners, then so be it," the teenage turtle said and grabbed for his swords. His counterpart narrowed his eyes and placed a hand on his katana. Both drew up their weapons, in the distance a thunder could be heard.

"Oh isn't this classic, a thunderstorm," the black clad turtle chuckled and glanced towards the sky, the clouds in the distance indeed did look very angry. He turned back to Leo. "Alright, let's roll!"

Leo swung one sword expertly before taking position. The assassin did the same and for a split second, they only stared at each other, one with a serious expression but the other with hint of mock in his face. Then both charged.

* * *

Hidden on a nearby rooftop two Raphaels stared as Leo began the fight. Raph gritted his teeth and dearly wished to go and bash the black clad one with his brother. The magistrate reached for the Shell-cell he had borrowed.

"Team 3 and team 4, this is team 2, they have begun let's move in," he said. "Once we are inside, radio silence."

"Roger," Deputy Mikey chimed in.

"Understood," the mechanical voice of the cyborg came through.

"You ready?" Magistrate Raphael asked his younger counterpart.

"Always," Raph grunted and the two silently and swiftly leaped down from the roof. Unseen and unheard the two turtles stole their way towards the factory.

* * *

"Damn the door is locked," Mikey grunted rattling the doorknob on a side door on the large building, it was supposed to be his and the cyborg's entrance towards the first factory room.

"Allow me," Raphael said stepping forward. The younger turtle moved out of the way as the mechanical one put his hand on the knob. Then simply he tore the door off its hinges.

"That's one way to open a door," the orange-masked turtle said with a grin. The cyborg smiled and put the door carefully up against the wall before they entered the factory.

They had to go through a long dim lit hallway. Mikey noticed an open door and peeked inside. The room wasn't large but to his surprise it had an entrance to the sewer system and it was open. The younger turtle looked at the cyborg that was scanning every inch of the room with his mechanical eye.

"Hm, something came up here, that's for sure. There is a mud track leading out," he said and then followed the track, it led straight into the direction they were heading in the hallway.

"Okay, creep city." Mikey gulped wondering what could have come out of the sewers, his wild imagination already cooking up all kind of possible gross things.

They continued onward and spotted another door deep within the hall. The cyborg noticed that the mud track did lead towards that one, so whatever had come this way was in there.

"Be on your guard, this door should lead to the room we are heading for if I understood the schematics for the building right," the mechanical turtle told the orange masked one. "And whatever opened that sewer opening in the other room might be in there."

"Yipes," Mikey grinned uneasily and grabbed his nunchaku.

* * *

Having gained entry already, Deputy Michelangelo and his brother Donatello silently and swiftly went down the hall that they knew lead towards the second factory room. The gray vest wearing one glanced around, there were several doors in this hallway but his dogi wearing sibling ignored them.

"You sure there is nothing inside of these rooms?" Mike asked, although he knew the answer. His Donatello had earned himself the title Ninja Master, given to him by their Splinter long ago. If there was something Don was good at, then it was detecting the presence of others. Therefore, if he was ignoring the doors, it meant there was nothing of interest there.

Then suddenly the all black clad turtle stopped on his run. He stopped so abruptly that his brother actually continued past him before realizing Donatello had stopped. Mike looked back and saw that his brother was eyeing a door he stood in front of.

"That can't be the one leading to the factory bro," the vest clad turtle said with a frown. Don just gave him a short glance before opening the door and walked in. His brother sighed in frustration and walked to the doorway to see what he was up too.

It was a small empty room; nothing really indicated what it was for. Mike frowned and then he realized that empty wasn't probably the right word. In one corner was a cradle and Donatello approached it.

"Yo, what's that?" The deputy entered and walked to his brother who was staring down at something.

Mike's eyes opened wide in shock; in the cradle was a small child, a turtle child with olive green color. It was a girl and sleeping soundly.

"That must be the cyborg's niece… ah daughter… ah whatever," the deputy said, his brother nodded in agreement.

"But what is she doing here?" Mike leaned over the cradle to take a closer look he didn't notice the click, but fortunately Don did.

The dogi wearing turtle suddenly kicked his brother away; he then quickly grabbed Michelle and dove out of the way. Mike landed harshly on his behind but was then temporarily blinded by a bright flash from the cradle

"Son of a bitch, a laser bomb?" the deputy growled and started to rise up. There was nothing left of the cradle but ashes. "That would have fried the kid and who ever tried to pick her up. Leo's sick!"

Mike looked to where his brother was. Donatello was holding the crying child that awoken by the sudden movements. The dogi clad turtle stood up while gently trying to calm the child. However, Michelle wouldn't quiet down, she stared frightened at the black masked face and just wailed louder. The deputy approached and could clearly see that his twin was growing a bit frustrated.

Don was starting to feel a bit warm so he removed the mask. He and Mike were surprised that Michelle quieted down almost instantly. The girl stared, almost looking baffled at the now revealed face of the turtle holding her.

"I'm telling you bro, you really should take that mask down more often," Mike retorted with a snort and approached. Donatello didn't look at him or show any sign he had even noticed him. The dogi wearing one just continued to stare at the now very quiet child. Suddenly a smile came on Michelle and she actually giggled.

"Well she seems to like you suddenly," the deputy said as he was standing beside his brother. Michelle now stared at him, again she giggled. Mike shook his head and glanced at his brother, the turtle froze in shock.

 _I am dreaming,_ he thought. On the scar-ridden beak of Ninja Master Donatello a smile had formed. His eyes were not cold or emotionless, compassion and love shone from them.

Donatello carefully cradled Michelle in his left arm. He then lifted his right hand and gently caressed the girl on the cheek. The infant turtle giggled some more and Don actually gave a sound that could have been laughter. The dogi wearing one then looked at his brother, his smile changed into a grin.

Mike frowned wondering why Donatello was giving him now a rather amused look. Then it hit him, Deputy Michelangelo was smiling too. Something he had hardly done in over ten years. This moment was interrupted by a voice.

"This is a recording for whoever triggered the bomb that was placed in the child's cradle. If you are alive that is to hear it," it was the assassin's voice. Both turtles frowned and looked at each other. The recording continued.

"This bomb was just a small sample of what could happen next. This whole place is rigged with similar explosive, just much more powerful and they will vaporize this whole factory. But don't worry; they need a trigger to explode." Apparently Leonardo had then chuckled while recording the message.

"However, activating this bomb turned the others live, meaning there are now two things that can trigger the explosion. One is a timer that will give you five minutes to vacate the building. The other will trigger instant explosion, giving you oh about one and a half second to run."

"My servant Tony has one of the detonation triggers, I'm not telling which one though. The other one, well if Donatello is listening to this. I think he might be able to guess." The recording ended with a mad laughter.

"We better find that recording device, its evidence," the deputy said but the room was too dark to see clearly. Donatello put a hand on his shoulder and Mike looked at him. The dogi wearing one shook his head; he then did a hand signal.

"Dammit, you're right no time. This place is a ticking time bomb, we gotta warn the others," he growled and the two turtles ran out of the room, one holding Michelle.

* * *

Raph and the magistrate crept down the hallway, both getting a little frustrated at finding nothing. They had gone through several empty rooms already and even the mask-less Raphael was starting to show a bit of a temper.

"Leo is up on the roof, fightin' while I'm here on a wild goose chase," the red clad one growled.

"I'm almost tempted to go up there myself," the magistrate snorted, he was holding one of his butterfly swords but the other was still tucked on his belt.

"Then why don't we?" his younger counterpart grunted. The magistrate didn't answer as he was holding back an amused grin.

 _Man, I remember being like that,_ the older turtle thought, but then frowned heavily. _But he is right; we probably should just go up and help his Leonardo._

Then suddenly the Shell-cell rang. Both Raphaels almost jumped; the magistrate growled and picked up the phone.

"You better have a damn good reason for breaking Radio silence," he growled in the phone.

"Does, the building is set to vaporize by laser bombs, count as a good one?" Deputy Mike said through the phone.

"Laser WHAT?" Raphael shouted. His red masked counterpart raised an eye ridge.

"We found the cyborg's kid and were almost killed by a small laser bomb. That turned on all the bombs that are currently planted all around this building and now there are two detonation devices. One will set a timer for five minutes, the other will trigger instant explosion. Leo's servant has one of the devices but we don't know which one," the deputy explained.

"Oh great, leave it that bastard to have something like this planned," the magistrate snarled. "You two regroup with Michelangelo and the cyborg. Raph and I will handle Tony."

"Roger," his brother said and the cell became silent. The mask-less turtle sighed loudly in frustration.

"You know what a laser bomb can do?" he asked Raph who frowned.

"Do I look like Donny, of course not, but by your reaction it sounds pretty bad," the younger turtle guessed. The magistrate nodded.

"Very bad, set right it can pretty much burn anything that's within certain range. There is no explosion, no sound; just suddenly a flash of light and whoosh whatever was to explode is gone. Nothing left but the ashes, there aren't even leftovers of the bomb left," he explained. "Imagine that it's a non-radioactive nuclear bomb. You are in no danger if you witness the explosion unless you are too close. Fortunately, you have to be very close to a laser bomb explosion to feel the effects, being few meters away is safe enough distance."

"So we are going after this Tony then," Raph said and they began run down the hallway.

"Yep," the magistrate said.

"And when we find him?" the red-masked one wondered. His counterpart smirked.

"Don't rough him up too bad, we need him to talk," the mask-less turtle told him. Raph raised his brow but then smiled deviously.

"So ya think this is what the Assassin wanted all along, fight with Leo and have the rest of us run around in a factory set to explode?" the red masked turtle asked, his counterpart immediately skidded to halt and stared at him with wide eyed expression.

"Son of a… Raph, that's exactly what he's doing," the magistrate's jaw dropped. "He wanted us here; he wanted us to be here for this. It has to be. Leo is crazy enough. Shit we better find Tony and now!"

The two turtles then took off again but at an even greater speed.

* * *

Don gave up trying to break his chains. He was just too securely tied to the belt. The purple clad one sighed and his head sunk back down. Then he heard familiar voices, which prompted the turtle to look up once more.

"Ok, we are definitely in a factory room," said the unmistakable voice of his brother Mikey.

"And… APRIL!" the mechanical voice of the cyborg shouted.

"Donny!" Mikey called and suddenly right beside him appeared the orange-clad turtle.

"Hi Mikey," Don said with a slight grin. His brother regarded him for a moment rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"You look a little tied up at the moment," Mikey said with a grin. Don stared at his brother with a very unimpressed expression.

"Just get me out of here you goofball," he retorted and struggled a bit in the chains. Mikey chuckled but then took his nunchaku up and started to twirl them. He then hammered one chuck on the chains holding his brother. Nothing happened.

"Okay, that's a quality steel," the orange masked one muttered. Don opened one eye having closed them both when seeing how his brother was going to free him.

"Wait, in the corner over there," the purple masked brother gestured to the corner with his head were Mike's mad counterpart lay. "Your crazy double is there unconscious. He has gauntlets with blades, maybe they will work."

Mikey looked at his brother for a moment unsure but then glanced at the corner were the unconscious turtle was. He grimaced and sneered in disgust.

"Ew, he didn't look like that when I… wait what is he doing here anyway? Sinda killed him," the orange-clad one said.

"Never mind that, get me out of here," Don snapped getting a little frustrated.

"Ok, ok," his brother said and started to approach his counterpart carefully.

Meanwhile the cyborg had reached the belt that had had April tied to it. He growled when seeing the bruises on the woman's body. Nevertheless, she smiled wide when seeing her mechanical husband.

"Raphael," she whispered.

"Hey babe, don't worry. I'll get you out here immediately," he said and was about to grab for the chains.

"No wait," April cried. Raphael looked at her questionably.

"I think I'm lying on some kind of a trap meant for you. I don't know what, but he said he had something store for you," the woman warned him. Raphael gritted his teeth; he then slowly knelt down and peeked under the belt. Again the turtle growled and looked at April.

"The damn taser is there, it's probably rigged to go off if I free you. And there is also device there that might be explosive in nature, my mechanical eye detects a detonation charge," he said and hammered one hand on the floor, leaving a visible dent. "I could deactivate this with my left arm if the repair arms weren't busted."

"Go free the young Donatello, if he isn't trapped like me that is. He can probably do something," April suggested, the cyborg nodded and rose. He gave the woman a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"Only be a minute babe, sit tight," he said and disappeared towards were Donatello lay.

Mikey was now crouching down beside his double. The turtle stuck out his tongue, grossed out at having to touch that body. He carefully lifted one of the arms and reached for the gauntlet on the hand. Suddenly something seemed to move through one of the visible veins. The orange clad turtle cried out, jumped up and backed away.

"Ew, gross, gross, gross," he said. In his hand, he was now holding the bladed gauntlet, having managed to remove it before the body had played its trick.

"Ok, Donny. I got that gauntlet…" Mikey stopped short when seeing the cyborg standing by the belt and had already ripped the chains apart. Donatello was now sitting upright rubbing his soar wrists.

"That's alright, Mikey, the cyborg had to free me first anyway. There is a trap under his April's belt," Don said and jumped off.

"You mean I had to touch that thing for nothing!" the orange clad one shouted and pointed at his counterpart. Grunting he threw the gauntlet away and walked to his brother and Raphael. He stopped short when hearing a groan.

Mikey turned slowly around and his eyes opened wide. His double was slowly opening his eyes; more veins seemed to be starting to bulge out of the skin. Foam was all over his beak.

"Eh guys, it… it is alive," the orange masked turtle shrieked and continued to back away.

"He's still alive?" he heard Don shout in surprise.

Growling Mad-Mike began to rise up. He turned to face Mikey and narrowed his insane eyes on him. An unearthly snarl came from his beak and the turtle approached. A laser beam suddenly shot past the orange masked ninja and collided with the mad one's plastron.

The insane turtle snarled in pain as it was flung backwards and collided with the wall. It was unconscious again, but now there was burn mark on the chest plate. Mikey had almost stopped breathing when watching his counterpart approach and then suddenly being thrown back like that. He slowly looked back and saw the cyborg holding up his machine gun arm. Raphael grinned with his organic part of the mouth and winked him with his normal eye.

"I figure this was a good time as any to try the stun setting on this thing," the mechanical turtle said.

"You have a stun setting for that thing? Sure didn't look like that when you shooting at me with it," Donatello retorted as he was on his way to April.

"That was because I was trying to maim you then," Raphael said casually. "Mikey, tie your counterpart up. He is clearly suffering from something and maybe we can help him. We will have your brothers other counterparts take a look at him."

"Oh sure, leave the fun part to me," the orange masked on grunted and went to fetch the chains that had previously held Donatello in place.

The purple clad turtle had arrived at April's belt and was now crawling under it to take a better look. He frowned when seeing how the wires clearly would trigger the taser to go off. Then there was the bomb, but it didn't look to be live, in fact no wires connected with it.

"I don't think the bomb is made to go off if you are freed. But the taser is definitely supposed to," Don said. _Ok, this is a simple wirework. I think I can even just disconnect it with my hands._

"Be careful," April told him.

"Won't I always," the purple masked ninja muttered and gingerly got a hold of one of the wires. Then quickly he pulled and disconnected it. He did the same with all the other wires.

"Ok, he was probably not expecting you to warn him, so you were probably going to be gagged. But he was in a rush suddenly, guess he forgot," Donatello said as he crawled from under the belt and stood up.

"Yeah, shortly after he finished fighting that wolfoid and this crazy turtle fell unconscious. I think that wolf delayed him too much," April agreed, the cyborg arrived at the belt. He got a nod from the younger turtle and the mechanical one immediately tore the chains of the woman.

April rose up weakly but still managed to throw herself into Raphael's arms. Despite his metal, he held her gently and carefully. They both smiled warmly at each other.

"I told you I would be back," he said, his wife nodded.

Don smiled at this hearth-warming scene; he then glanced at where Mikey was dragging his own counterpart away from the corner and towards them. He had hog tied the unconscious turtle with the chains.

"Need a hand with that?" Don asked and was about to approach his brother when he heard a slight groan. Looking in the direction of it, he spotted Luna where she was chained to the wall.

 _I completely forgot about her,_ he thought and frowned. With a sigh, the ninja changed his direction to the turtle woman.

"Hey," he said as he crouched down in front of her. Luna glanced up weakly but didn't say a word.

"I'm sorry that I was a bit cold on you when you were staying at our lair. I didn't know you were working against the assassin," Don said, but the woman just looked away.

Donatello sighed and looked at her chains. The turtle frowned when he noticed the wires that were intertwined with them. A realization hit him when he remembered the bomb under the belt.

 _Oh shell, if we free her we could trigger an explosion,_ he thought.

"Is there a problem?" Cyborg Raphael was approaching with April and Mikey following.

"Luna's chains are rigged with something, probably a bomb like the one under the belt," Don said while examining the chains more closely.

"Crud," the mechanical turtle muttered.

"DON'T TOUCH!" was shouted; suddenly Debuty Michelangelo and Ninja Master Donatello appeared. It was the gray vest wearing one that had called out.

The two turtles arrived on the run. The dogi-wearing turtle immediately crouched down beside Don and started to look at the chains. The deputy in the meantime reunited April with her daughter.

"I believe she belongs to you," he said while handing Michelle to the very relieved woman.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," she said and hugged the child tightly. Raphael put one arm around her and stared smiling down at the turtle child that giggled happily in her mother's arms.

Neither of the Donatellos were as happy. They both turned to face the others, the dogi wearing one began giving swift hand signals, Don stared at the turtle for a moment confused and wondering who that was.

"Oh great, Don says this is the trigger that will set the bombs off immediately," the deputy said.

"I did?" the purple clad one said even more confused, he got a tapped on the shoulder by his black clad counterpart. Don looked at him and his eyes opened wide when the Ninja Master removed his mask to reveal his face.

"Oh him," he said understanding slightly now.

"What bombs?" Mikey asked eyeing his grim faced counterpart. At the same moment the deputy's shell-cell rang.

"Yeah?" he said in the phone.

"You guys had better get the shell out of here!" Raph's voice shouted. "That blasted servant of the assassin triggered the timer for the bombs. You got four minutes and fifty seconds to book!"

"Great, no pressure," the younger Mikey muttered. Everybody glanced at the chains Luna was in; the woman looked up having heard everything.

"L-leave…leave me," she whispered.

* * *

The rain was pouring down now, lightings flashed and the thunders echoed all around. Leo was starting to feel a bit tired but continued to fight, there was no other alternative; he had yet to get the signal that everybody was out of there.

They had abandoned the factory rooftop some time ago. In fact it had been the assassin who had left it forcing Leonardo to follow. They were still with in sight of it; the blue masked turtle could only wonder why his opponent had led him away from the factory.

"You fight much better now than last time," the assassin complimented him as their swords clashed again. Leo didn't answer and tried a sweep kick.

"You are probably wondering why we have left the rooftop of the factory," the black clad one continued while quickly back flipping away.

Again the younger turtle didn't answer, he tried to punch the butt end of his sword at his opponent but he ducked. Swiftly the assassin rose and slashed with his sword; Leo was forced to jump back.

Leonardo's counterpart smirked; he could see that the young ninja was exhausted. He was starting to tire as well. They had been fighting for a while now. So far, none of them had suffered many injuries, slight bruises and few already healed cuts. On top of that was now the heavy rain.

"Let's just say that I didn't feel very safe on that rooftop," the assassin continued his one sided conversation. Leo frowned wondering what he meant.

"You'll know what I mean soon enough," his counterpart said.

Leonardo charged towards the black masked turtle and jumped. The assassin waited ready with his katana. The blue clad one was about to slash down with his swords when he was blinded by a very bright flash, originating from the factory.

The ninja landed harshly on the ground, dropped his swords as he shielded his eyes. The light show subsided almost as soon as it had started. Leo removed his hand from his face and while blinking looked into the direction of the factory.

It wasn't there. Leonardo jumped up startled and rushed to the edge of the rooftop. He skidded to a halt on the ledge and his eyes opened wide in shock. There was nothing left of the building but the foundation. His jaw dropped, a cold shiver ran across his whole body.

"W-where… what…what happened?" he whispered.

"The flashing light was a blast from a laser bomb. Several laser bombs that I had planted all over the building. They are quite deadly if you are standing on top of them, and they are very useful to demolish buildings quickly and effectively because of their non-radioactive nature," Leo heard his counterpart explain to him.

 _Raph… Mikey… Don?_ Leonardo was shaking badly and sunk to his knees. _No…NO._

"NOOO!" he screamed.

 **End chapter 12**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 12/04 2006

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **2k3 TMNT-world**

For a moment the world just stood still for him. He stared at the foundation of what had used to be an abandoned factory. The turtle could clearly see the burn marks on it, nothing else was left that indicated that there had once been a building there.

The rain continued to pour down on his shaking body. It concealed the tears that slowly crawled down his cheeks. Leonardo closed his eyes tight and quickly rubbed them with the back of his hand; then he let out a slight growl and gritted his teeth.

"You!" he snarled as he rose and turned around. The assassin stood with his arms folded and smirking.

"Yes, these bombs have the habit of leaving no trace left," he said.

"You heartless monster!" Leo shouted pointing threateningly at his counterpart. "I can't believe you used to be like me. I can't believe it; I would never and will never become so stone hearted that I will kill my own brothers!"

"Funny, I said something similar once," his counterpart shrugged.

Leonardo would have charged but he was weaponless. The swords were behind the assassin and the turtle was too exhausted after the previous fight to make a run for them. He knew as wall that the black clad one would probably whip something up from his arsenal.

However, he decided to heck with it, might as well try. Leo jumped away from the ledge and darted towards the assassin roaring. The black masked turtle moved out of the way and kicked, Leonardo managed to dodge and almost in the same move retrieved his swords.

"You want to fight? Well let's fight!" the blue masked ninja growled and charged once more. His counterpart still had that smug smirk on his beak and got ready with his katana.

He fought almost blindingly now, slashing and hewing with his swords. The assassin skillfully blocked most of it. Leo managed to land a cut on his arm. His counterpart sneered but otherwise didn't say a word.

Leonardo lost track of the time, all his thoughts were bent on avenging his brothers and the others. There was no way he was letting that heartless creature get away alive, no chance in hell he would stop until the assassin lay dead before his feet.

However, his opponent did fight well, even if he only had a single sword. The young ninja was already tired from before. They separated for a moment and stood staring at each other, one breathing heavily and glaring daggers, the other smirking in a mock manner.

"I refuse to believe that you used to be like me once," Leonardo growled.

"You already said that," his opponent remarked.

"DIE!" Leo roared and charged.

"Yo Leo, save something me," a voice made the blue clad turtle skid to halt. He looked into its direction and his jaw dropped. Rising up after having landed on the rooftop was Raphael, coming very shortly after him was his magistrate counterpart holding his butterfly swords.

"Raph?" Leo whispered. He could hear the assassin growl something.

"Yo short dark and stupid, don't you know you shouldn't be playing with explosives?"

Both Leonardos turned only to see Mikey and his deputy double arrive from the other end of the rooftop. The younger one was grinning wide but the other was grim faced and narrowed his eyes on the assassin.

"Mind if we join?"

Leo was smiling now when he turned for the final time. Landing at the same time were two Donatellos, one in a black dogi holding a single Jo staff and the other in a more familiar gear with a purple mask. He as well was holding a Jo, having borrowed it from his silent counterpart.

"Guys… you…you're alive," he said relieved. "But I saw the… the building it was…"

"Yeah it was a narrow escape," Raph grunted and glared at the assassin.

"I think it's pretty obvious Leonardo that you are surrounded, outnumbered and what you had in store for us failed," the magistrate addressed his black clad brother. Leo's counterpart had backed closer to the edge of the rooftop, glaring around.

"So why don't just make it easy for all of us and give up," the red masked turtle growled and twirled his sai.

"I think not." The assassin smirked suddenly and sheathed his katana. However, whatever he had in mind he didn't get further. Ninja Master Donatello suddenly and swiftly charged, swinging his Jo staff.

The assassin growled and retrieved his katana and just barely managed to block it. The other turtles approached immediately fully intending to help the dogi clad one.

Leo's counterpart eyed around and quickly backed away. The others continued to advance and seeing no other option, the assassin turned and ran. Quickly he jumped and was over on the next rooftop with his Donatello hot on his tail.

The others tried to follow the best they could but the two black wearing turtles were incredibly fast and were soon out of view. In the end Magistrate Raphael halted and so did his brother the deputy.

"We'll never catch up with them. Donatello and Leonardo have always been the fastest of us," the mask-less turtle called after the teenage ninjas.

"Wait for us then at the Battle-Shell," Donatello called to them, then followed his brothers on the chase.

* * *

The assassin halted when he noticed that only one turtle was after him. He smirked and saw that the others had lost them. The black clad one turned just as Donatello landed on the rooftop.

The dogi-clad ninja rose up; from under his goggles, he glared at Leonardo who was smiling wickedly. Don twirled his Jo staff and took position. The other turtle drew up his katana.

"So," the assassin said. "How is Luna doing?"

Donatello ran forward almost immediately at the question. His opponent swung his sword and blocked the incoming staff. Leonardo smiled, seeing that he had hit on a very sensitive subject.

He didn't have a chance to go further into it. The two turtles began a heated battle that required his full concentration. He had already been in a fight but his current opponent hadn't and thus was fresh and not tired.

On top of that, they were evenly matched. Leonardo gritted his teeth; he would never admit that particular Ninja Master did know the defenses against his more alien martial arts moves. As well as Donatello was full of surprises himself, the assassin really could never know what the turtle could pull out of his dogi.

They continued to fight and Leonardo was awarded with many hits from the staff. He cringed every time Don got within his defenses. However, the assassin also managed to land a few strikes with his sword. The dogi clad one had now several tears in his uniform and few bleeding wounds.

Leonardo was bleeding from his mouth; Don had landed the butt end of his staff right in his beak. There were also nasty gashes on his forearms, having been forced to use them to block the Jo sometimes. The Ninja Master knew very well how to hit to maim.

The assassin growled spat out blood and slashed hard with his sword. Donatello was a second to late to use his staff and just barely managed to move his head away. The sword did manage to cut into the face mask and almost ripped it apart. It was now hanging loose and Donatello's scar ridden beak and part of his face was now visible.

The silent one retaliated and managed to hit Leonardo hard on the leg. The assassin growled at the stinging pain and limped back. He cringed at the sharp pain when stepping on it; no doubt, the leg fractured.

Snarling Leonardo limped forward, ignoring his pain and hewed with the sword. This time the strike was very hard. Donatello just about managed to block it with his staff but it broke in two when the blade landed on it. The assassin didn't hesitate and lunged at the other turtle using now his gloved hands to punch at him.

Donatello didn't gain the upper hand fast enough. The assassin managed to hit him hard in the head and for a moment everything went black for the Ninja Master. He slumped to the ground and slowly tried to rise. Leonardo was already up on his legs and limped to where his sword had fallen.

He returned to were the dogi-clad turtle was trying to regain his composure and stand up. Leonardo raised his katana and prepared to strike, grinning madly at his apparent victory.

"Oh no you won't!" was yelled and a green foot suddenly landed on the assassin's stomach. The black masked turtle was thrown back and landed harshly on the ground further away.

Standing now over Donatello was the younger Leonardo. The blue masked ninja was holding both of his swords in his hands and glared at his counterpart who was slowly rising up again.

"End of the line wackbag!" Raphael appeared right behind his brother, his sai at ready. Mikey and the other Donatello appeared almost soon afterwards.

"It seems so," the assassin growled and glared at the four young ninjas. The dogi-clad turtle was also rising up and tore off his ruined mask to reveal his whole face.

"Unfortunately for you, it's not the end for me." Leo's counterpart then smirked. Suddenly a black portal opened right behind him and just as quickly, the assassin had disappeared through. Raphael jumped towards it but was too late, the gateway closed. They hadn't noticed when the black masked turtle had reached for his dimension traveler as he rose.

"He escaped again!" Leonardo shouted. Raphael roared and threw one sai in frustration. It embedded itself on a door.

Don shook his head but then noticed that his black wearing counterpart was stumbling. The purple masked ninja quickly jumped to his side and caught the older turtle before he fell down. The Ninja Master was clutching at a wound on his plastron.

"Guys, forget the assassin, we better get him home to mend his wounds," Donatello suggested. Mikey was now also helping to support the dogi wearing ninja.

Growling and cursing Raphael retrieved his sai. Leonardo sheathed his swords still gritting his teeth at missing the opportunity to nail the assassin. The two then returned to their two brothers and Donatello.

"Raphael, you go and get the Battle Shell, there is no way we can drag him all the way back to were the factory was. We'll wait here," Leonardo said. The red clad one nodded and darted off.

The remaining turtles carefully helped the dogi clad one to sit down. He wasn't bleeding badly but was still weak and tired. It had fortunately stopped raining so there was no need to seek shelter for him, they could wait outside.

"So," Leo looked at his brothers. "How did you escape the explosion?"

"Oh that was simple, we just ran out," Mikey said with a wide grin and gave a thumb's up. Don grinned and nodded to confirm it.

"The assassin's servant had set the timer off; we had five minutes to get out. Most of us simply just did that. Unfortunately, Luna was chained up and her chains had wires that were rigged to another detonator device. It would go off if we tried to free her. However, the cyborg figured out the solution to that problem, he told us to get out. He was going to simply transport Luna out of there, that would rip the chains but she and him would be already out of harms way when the explosion would occur," Donatello then explained.

"So when the factory exploded, you were all already outside." Leo let out breath of relief. "I really thought you had all… been inside when it happened."

"Nah, we had plenty of time to get out," Mikey said patting his blue masked brother on the back.

"The cyborg, April, little Michelle and Luna should be in the lair by now. Raphael can only transport to Turtleland and then back to our warehouse. He was going to take them there," Donatello said. They looked down at the dogi-clad one; he had been listening to every word.

Leonardo crouched in front of him and for a moment, they stared at each other, then Leo bowed his head slightly.

"Thank you for all your help," he said. The Ninja Master just shook his head, indicating that it was nothing. Then pulling out from inside his dogi he drew out a notepad and a pen. He began writing on it and then handed a note to Leo.

 _It's my sworn duty to battle Assassin Leonardo. Stop whatever he is up to and thwart his plans. This was all just in the day's job for me. No need to thank me._ The note said.

"His tongue was cut out by the assassin creep," Mikey whispered to his Donatello, the purple-clad turtle was still in the dark why his counterpart didn't say anything.

"What?" he glanced at the orange masked one who nodded. Don put a hand over his beak, feeling very grossed out now. _Man I knew he was sick and twisted already but, damn._

Leo rose up again and put a hand on his Donatello's shoulder.

"How are you Don?" he asked his purple masked brother. "Did he… did he do anything to you?"

Don looked at his brother, for moment his mind plaid a trick on him replacing Leo's blue mask with a black one. It was only for a short moment, the turtle quickly shook it off. Yet he had tensed up slightly and his older brother spotted it immediately. His face darkened.

"What did he do?" he asked straining to keep his voice neutral. Mikey too was battling with his feelings, waiting for Don to answer.

"Nothing," Don said quietly and looked away.

"Nothing my tail, Donatello!" Leo snapped and squeezed his shoulder slightly. "What did he do?"

Donatello still tried not to answer; his mind was racing over the memories of his captivity. He avoided looking into Leo's direction, focused his attention elsewhere. A black gloved hand holding a note appeared in front of him. The purple masked one stared down at his dogi wearing counterpart who was giving him the paper.

 _My biggest mistake in life was when something happened to me, I shut up about it and I kept it to myself. I never opened up to my brothers and opted instead to lock myself in my lab. Only Mikey, my Mikey could coax me to leave it, he was the only one who understood my desire to be silent. Because of this I was never very close to either Leo or Raph, they hardly ever understood me and my desires. Now in a cruel irony I am handicapped in the manner that I can't even speak, an injury delivered by somebody I once thought was my brother. Don't let this be your mistake as well, don't lose your Leo. You won't like it,_ was written on the note. Don stared at it for a moment and then at his counterpart who just shrugged.

Donatello turned to Leonardo again who still waited for an answer. Slowly he began telling everything what happened, ever since he woke up in the assassin's mansion. When the olive green turtle reached the point were he had been taken to the hobby room he halted.

The purple-masked one gulped when remembering all the images, the walls covered with pictures of turtles. Leonardos, photographs of others the assassin had faced, tortured and tormented. Fought and beaten.

"Don?" Leo frowned in worry when his brother had halted in his tale. Suddenly Don pulled himself closer and wrapped his arms around the blue-clad one.

"Oh god Leo… you could have been on the wall… your picture…" he said in a hoarse whisper.

"W-what?" Leonardo asked confused but for a moment his brother just couldn't answer, clung tightly to him trembling. The other ninja could just hold him and gently pat him on the carapace, trying to calm him down.

Finally, Don managed to tell him what he had seen, told him about the hobby room. The walls with all the pictures, what the assassin did. Leo unconsciously grabbed a tighter hold on his brother when hearing this, he felt slightly nauseous realizing how close he had been. A year ago he had been in the exactly same position and all his other counterparts his brother had seen the pictures off.

"Honestly… before that room, it was just frustrating to be his prisoner, he was just annoying… but then he showed me that room…" Donatello whispered still shaking.

Mikey scratched his head feeling a bit out of place suddenly. In the end he saw his brothers needed comforting, so in the end he approached and put his arms the best he could around both of them.

Down on the ground were he sat, the dogi-clad turtle actually produced a smile. For the second time this day, he smiled, but this time at the brotherly moment happening in front of him. It disappeared when three shadows suddenly came climbing over the ledge.

"Ookay, did I miss something," Raph asked when seeing his three brothers hugging each other.

"How sweet," the deputy retorted but then saw were his brother sat. "Don?"

"Shut up Raph and just come over here," Leo called to his red masked sibling. Raph wasn't though so sure if that was wise. His brothers finally did part though so he felt slightly safer to approach.

"Ok let's get him down and to your lair, we left our travelers back there," the magistrate said as he and the deputy helped their brother to stand up.

* * *

"I have finished going around and I have removed any if not all hidden surveillance gear," the cyborg reported as he approached Splinter.

"Thank you Raphael, it was most appreciated that you helped us remove that gear. We were not aware anything was left since Donatello did spend a good portion of his time searching and removing what was visible," the old rat said.

"Quite welcome, your sons have done so much for me and my family. Have to repay is somehow," the mechanical turtle said, he and Splinter then walked to the entertainment area.

April sat on the sofa holding sleeping Michelle. Luna on the other hand sat silent in a corner, trying to be out of sight and out of mind. The cyborg took position, standing beside the sofa, as the furniture would never hold him. Splinter sat in the recliner.

"Now child, you have no reason to be hiding. We are aware of your true alliance and what you were doing. We would be honored if you joined us," the old ninja master addressed the turtle woman.

Luna hesitantly looked up and then rose up slowly. She walked to a nearby chair and sat down, rubbing her arms nervously and looking at the floor. She didn't notice that Raphael was now looking at her more attentively.

"Wait a minute… you are…" his organic eye opened wide in surprise. "Angel?"

"W-what?" Luna looked up and at him. It was then that this mechanical turtle registered with her mind, she gasped in shock.

"You know her?" April looked at Raphael who nodded.

"She was a rebellion member, one of Arnold Jones's top members and a favorite. My brother cackled in glee when the troops captured her and she was sent immediately to the mutation process, her name is Angel but if I recall correctly my Donatello named her Luna for some reason," the cyborg explained.

"He told me… it was because I stared at the moon all the time," the turtle woman whispered glancing shyly at Raphael. "I… I met him while at Leonardo's place… he told me my real origins. Told me who I was... and all... I'm sorry, I saw Leonardo gun him down."

"That's ok, maybe it was for the best. He was beyond any healing," the cyborg shook his head. April patted him gently on the arm.

"At least we have a part of his real self with us, even though it was his unnatural half that produced it," she said and gestured to the sleeping child. The cyborg smiled and nodded.

"I apologize for what my brother did to you. I wish it was possible but as you know the mutation is irreversible," Raphael then apologized. Luna smiled slightly and nodded.

"I know, that's ok. I can live with my new body… I don't really remember that much from my old life… my memory got scrambled," she whispered and hung her head.

The conversation was interrupted when the elevator door opened. Into the lair walked seven turtles, two were supporting the dogi wearing Donatello, while Raphael and Leonardo carried hog tied Mad Mike who was still unconscious. Michelangelo and the other Don walked right behind everybody.

However, the black clad Don refused further support suddenly. He freed himself from his brothers and stumbled towards the entertainment area. Splinter had already risen and was waiting for his own sons to approach; the cyborg and April didn't move but watched the other turtles coming.

The silent Donatello made his way to were Luna sat, the woman was looking away and didn't dare to face him. The dogi clad turtle stopped right in front of her and eventually the smaller turtle glanced in his direction, then slowly eyed up.

He gently grabbed her upper arm and pulled her off the chair. Don wrapped his arms around her before pressing his scarred beak up against hers in what looked to be a very long and deep kiss. First for a moment, she didn't do anything and was just about as surprised as the others around. Then the woman relaxed, put her thin arms around his neck and returned the affection.

"Jeez, get a room already!" Magistrate Raphael called to the couple. He was only given a black gloved finger, his eye ridge rose. "Language Donny, language."

"My son, you return once more," Splinter said to his own Donatello. The purple clad turtle grinned and nodded. Then the attention turned to the unconscious hog tied turtle. "And who is that and why is he bound?"

"This is Michelangelo's counterpart. We are going to take him to our world, see if we can't do something for him. Though I doubt we can do much except ease his pain. He doesn't look too good," the magistrate explained.

"All these abscesses all over him would suggest some sort of infection." Don crouched down beside the turtle and examined him with his eyes. "But all these visible veins, it's almost like he's changing, badly."

"What of the assassin?" Splinter looked at the two nearby off-world turtles. It was his son who answered.

"I'm afraid he escaped Master Splinter," Leonardo said with a sigh. The magistrate who stood nearby patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it; he does that all the time. We have had to deal with this for about ten years now," he said, the deputy nodded in agreement.

"We would have been more surprised if you actually caught him. Nope he is a slippery devil," the gray vest clad turtle said.

"We thank you for all your help." The old rat turned towards the off world turtles and bowed. So did his four sons.

"Meh, all in the days work, right Mike?" The magistrate eyed the deputy who shrugged. He was glancing at Splinter a bit nervously.

"Well if you guys don't have any questions, then my brothers and I…" Raphael stopped and glanced at were Donatello and Luna were still in each other's arms. "And Luna, better get going."

Before anybody could open his mouth a strange sound, that suspiciously sounded like a ring tone emerged from the mask-less dark green turtle. The magistrate cleared his throat a bit embarrassed and reached into his pocket. He drew up a mobile phone that looked to have few buttons too many.

"Not even in other dimensions I escape the damn phone," he said and flipped open the lid on the phone and put it up against his head.

"This is a special communication device; its signal can reach other dimensions. Of course it can take a while so whoever was trying to call, probably called few hours ago," the deputy explained to the others.

"Uh… where can I buy one?" Donatello asked slack jawed. _Oh that could have been useful._

"Yes? Hello, sorry the signal isn't very clear. Yes that's because I am in another dimension Maggie, an alternative one in fact. Yes what?" the magistrate fell silent. "What?"

"Thanks… we… we'll be over as quickly as we can," he whispered and hung up. The magistrate swallowed something as he put the phone back into his pocket.

All eyes were on him but without a word he grabbed the deputy's arm and dragged him towards the dogi clad Don and Luna. The others could only watch as the magistrate told them something in a very low voice.

Deputy Mike and Ninja Master Don both opened their eyes wider in shock, their jaws dropped. Luna gasped and grabbed her beak. Then the gray vest one closed his eyes, his head hung and his lips started to quiver. Slowly he sunk down to his knees and the tears burst through. His black clad brother put a hand on his shoulder.

Luna grabbed Donatello's arm and hugged tight, she was crying as well. The tears fell silently down from the Ninja Master. The magistrate had one hand on Don's shoulder and the other on Mike's for a moment. Then he slowly turned to face the others. It was clear he was fighting back his own tears, the sorrow shone from his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry but we must go," he whispered. "Our master… our father. He has passed away."

There was a stunned silence when he delivered the news. Then Splinter just nodded. The magistrate walked to Don's work corner and fetched the travelers that belonged to his brothers, but his own traveler he threw to the purple masked turtle.

"Here, just in case our brother makes some trouble again in your world. Contact us," he said. Donatello nodded.

"Don, help me with Mike's counterpart," the mask-less turtle then whispered to his brother. The dogi wearing turtle nodded and gave Luna a hand signal. The woman nodded and crouched down beside the deputy. Gently she pulled him in a hug, and he clung to her crying bitterly.

The two other turtles walked to Mad Mike and picked him up. Magistrate Raphael smiled weakly and looked around nodding before his brother operated a portal. Soon the only off worlders left in the lair were the cyborg, April and little Michelle.

"Man the poor guys," Mikey said as everybody gathered around the entertainment area.

"It was probably worse for them that they weren't there when he died." Leo sighed as he sat down in the chair Luna had occupied previously.

"At least they still have each other and others to help share the grief," Splinter said, there were murmurs of agreement.

"Well, I'm glad this is all over with," Leonardo then said. "But I swear if I never see that blasted assassin again, it will be too soon."

"Let us hope that was the last time we have to encounter that villain. He is very resourceful and seems to be a bit powerful," the old rat mentioned thoughtfully.

"Are you ok Donny?" Mikey asked his purple masked brother who was carefully examining the dimension traveler; they both sat on the floor in front of the couch. He looked up and glanced at his orange clad-brother, a small smile crossed his beak.

"I'll survive," he claimed. "It was honestly not as bad as it sounded, but that picture room really threw me off."

"I don't want to sound rude or anything, but it is time April, Michelle and I returned to our own world. We have to fix the mess that the assassin created there," the cyborg announced eyeing around. April began to rise up holding her daughter carefully.

"Thank you again for your help," Splinter said and so did his sons. The cyborg smirked with the organic part of his face.

"It's was good seeing you all again, but I hope next time will be under different circumstances," he said and waved. He then put a mechanical arm around April and with his other hand that now held a remote pushed the button on it. The three disappeared in a flash.

For a while nobody said anything, weren't sure what to say. They were already over most of the shock and were frankly relieved that things seemed to be over. Weren't in danger any longer.

"Well, guess that's that," Raph said and rose up from were he was sitting. He then jumped towards the dojo area and landed nearby his punching bag. The red clad turtle then began a heavy workout.

"I don't know about you guys but I am starved," Mikey said and stood up, the orange clad one quickly ran towards the kitchen.

The only ones remaining were Leo, Don and Splinter. The purple clad turtle was now sunken into looking at his new gadget a rather content smile on his beak. The old ninja master noticed that his blue-clad son was staring at Donatello thoughtfully.

The intelligent turtle noticed the sudden attention and looked up, the brothers eyes met and they held each other's gaze. Leonardo gulped, for a moment he almost pictured scars forming on his brother's beak; cold and emotionless gaze replaced the intelligent glint in his eyes. He almost could see Donatello open his mouth but no sound coming out, because he couldn't make them. Then it all disappeared and Don was once more scar-less, with a tongue and a gleam of intelligence in his eyes.

Donatello on the other hand almost could see Leo's mask change color again, the calm gentle look on his face twist into a mocking smirk, with this strange amused glint in his eyes. He almost expected Leonardo to open his mouth and the growlier and harsher version of his voice would come out, instead of the gentle one. He only had to blink once to see Leo revert to the more familiar blue clad version. Don smiled weakly at his brother who did the same.

Splinter observed this in silence; a small smile crept over his muzzle. His two sons had seen what could possibly happen, they recognized the danger and now they could learn from it and form a stronger bond and even prevent the same happening to them.

Don returned his attention back to the traveler. Leonardo shifted his gaze towards the dojo. In the end the blue-clad turtle stood up and while drawing up his katana swords headed for the main training area of the lair. Things were going back to normal for now at least.

 **End chapter 13**


	15. Epilogue

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 12/04 2006

* * *

 **Epilogue**

 **Assassin's world**

They stood all huddled together, four mutant turtles, three of them male and one female. It was dark but they didn't care as it fit a bit their current sorrowful mood.

Luna was for the first time in a while dressed. She was wearing a black dress specifically made to fit her body. The woman was leaning up against Donatello who had one arm around her. Close beside him stood his twin Deputy Michelangelo, next to him was Magistrate Raphael.

"It was so… sad," Raphael whispered. "His last days… he kept asking for him, where he was."

The others silently nodded in agreement. In front of them was the headstone of their father. Carved on it was the name 'Hamato Splinter' and under it 'Beloved father and teacher'.

"I hated seeing him at the funeral," Mike muttered. "The bastard was faking that sad face of his."

"Of course he was, but he had to play the oldest son part," the magistrate said shaking his head. "I can't believe the bastard got away again."

"The factory explosion vaporized all evidences," the deputy growled. "And everybody believed him when he said he fractured his leg during training."

"He even had alibis, fake ones for sure but somehow managed to make them look real," Raphael gritted his teeth. "Why can't we nail him?"

Luna didn't add anything to the conversation. She just held her arms around her lover huddling close to him. Don, who was mask less for a change, suddenly looked around, glaring at something further away from them.

"What's wrong Don?" Raphael asked and looked into the same direction. Mike turned and frowned.

"Oh give me a break," he growled, they were all staring at a nearby tree and somebody was definitely leaning up against it mostly concealed in the shadow.

"Come to defile the grave with your spit?" the magistrate asked. There was a soft chuckle and from the tree stepped the assassin. He was actually using a crutch and his leg was bandaged.

"Nah," Leonardo said smiling. "Just watching you crying your eyes out for the old rat."

"For 17 years he was your father, somebody you respected and loved. How the hell can you speak of him like that," Mike snapped. Leo only chuckled some more.

"It's easy Mikey, I open my mouth and say it," the assassin said and shook his head.

"Why don't you give up the act Leo, you don't hate mammals as much as you claim," the magistrate claimed and narrowed his eyes. "In fact most of the time you are exaggerating, if you hated mammals as much as you did then you wouldn't bother to have a loyal servant like Tony."

The assassin didn't answer just snorted and began limping away with the crutch. Tony almost on cue stepped away from the tree and walked to his master, offering to help him walk. Leonardo almost pushed him away, but then changed his mind and put one arm around the human for support.

The other turtles watched the two leave, Raphael shook his head and turned back to the grave.

"His pretense hatred from mammals, I never understood it. He was probably just finding some excuse to resent you master," he said to the resting place of his father.

"Oh he resents most humans but not because they are mammals, but because so many of them have been his enemies in the past. In fact sometimes I think Leo just hates everybody equally now," Raphael continued and looked at his brothers. There were nods of agreements then there was silence.

In the parking lot for the graveyard, the assassin and Tony had reached the car and were sitting down. The human was driving and the turtle sat in the passenger seat, Leonardo sighed and then glanced warily at the back.

"The money should be on the account by now," he whispered and closed his eyes. "I hope that means I'm seeing the last of you."

" Possible," a calm and steady voice said in the back seat. "But not likely. I could have lived without that stab though."

"Oh come on it was barely a flesh wound, I have seen you with worse," Leonardo grunted.

"Maybe so, still doesn't change the fact that the little puke jammed those blades in me," the voice growled but then calmed down. "Oh well, pleasure doing business with you."

"Yeah, yeah," the black masked turtle grunted. The car door opened and something invisible stepped outside and then closed it. A black portal opened, a beeping sound was heard, into view flickered the Ulfarian criminal. Sinda took one final glance at the assassin, winked him before darting through the portal.

"Let's go home Tony, I think we need a long rest," Leonardo muttered and was shaking. His servant, not looking much better, nodded started the car and drove off.

* * *

 **Turtleland**

There were three names on the marker now. The cyborg sighed heavily were he knelt in front of it. All of his brothers were dead; he was the last of the original mutants left in his world.

He looked up at April who stood beside him, one hand was on the baby carriage were Michelle slept; the other was on his shoulder.

"No bodies," Raphael whispered. "I never got to bury any of them. Not even Donny-boy."

"I know," his wife said sadly.

"Angela's funeral is tomorrow, nearly everything from my old life… at the lab is gone… only Ted remains," the cyborg looked down. A tear crawled down the organic part of his face.

"But at least you can start a new life, we will continue on," the woman said reassuringly.

"Yeah," Raphael nodded and slowly stood up; there was a slight hiss from the joints in his knees. The cyborg glanced down at the marker.

"You take care of Donny-boy and Mikey, Leo. I'll take care of April and Michelle," he said and turned away, April turned the carriage and they started to walk down the hill.

"April… what if something happens to either of us, neither of us have any living family. Who would take care of Michelle," Raphael suddenly asked and looked at his wife.

"Angela wasn't kidding when she told me you tend to bring up valid questions out of the blue," April said with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry babe… it's just that… on just a year I have lost two of my brothers, death just seems to enjoy knocking on my door," the cyborg said looking down.

"Don't worry honey, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about," April said patting his carapace.

"Famous last words," the mechanical turtle muttered as they approached their car parked near the road.

* * *

 **2k3 TMNT-World**

"Hiding?" Leo asked as he approached Donatello on the rooftop. The turtles had gone to visit their April and give her the full story on what had been happening to them lately.

But Don had pretty early disappeared, claiming to need fresh air. Leonardo had shortly later gone after him and found this purple-masked sibling on April's roof.

"Don't know," Donatello muttered. He looked at Leo who was sitting down beside him. "He showed me their old lair."

"Hm?" the blue clad one looked at him confused.

"The assassin, he showed me were they used to live. Before they could live in the open I would guess," the olive green turtle whispered. "Leo, it was exactly like our lair, to the smallest detail."

"Really?" Leo grimaced slightly; he had continued to refuse believing that the assassin had ever used to be like him. Now he was becoming doubtful, Don had probably just confirmed it that they had once been pretty much the same.

"I think my nightmares were warnings," Don suddenly said. "Telling me was going to happen in a way."

"That is possible," Leonardo nodded; he put one hand gently on his brother's shoulder. "Don, are you ok?"

"I can't get that wall out of my mind. All those counterparts and what he possibly did to them, some of them… Leo, he had clearly abused them, one looked especially bad. The anguish in his face," Donatello sighed sorrowfully. "How many more will suffer because we didn't get him."

"I'm sorry Don, sorry this had to happen to you," Leo muttered squeezing the shoulder slightly in comforting manner. His purple-clad brother just nodded.

"I'll live, nothing seriously bad happened. It was an experience I don't want to try again, but at least I got out in the end," he said and looked at his brother and smiled weakly. "But the worst part was seeing what he has being doing with other counterparts of himself. The guy is obsessed with his image; you can't believe how many paintings of him I saw in that mansion of his. He's obsessed Leo. He's so obsessed with himself that he goes looking for other versions as well."

"Yeah, I got the impression," Leonardo nodded.

"Speaking of the assassin. My mute counterpart contacted me yesterday, they had been looking at Mikey's crazier counterpart and they found out that he was slowly dying from poison." Donatello decided to change the subject for a moment.

"Poison?" the blue clad one looked at his brother confused.

"Yeah, but that was not all. The poison fused with the Utrom mutagen that was in his system. You know the green stuff that mutated us. Anyway it fused with it and was also causing a secondary mutation," Don continued. "He was both slowly dying from poison and mutating all over again. The abscesses on his body were infection from the poison, while the bulging veins was the mutation process happening."

"What a way to go, the poor guy." Leonardo cringed, this sounded like a way too painful death.

"The poison was slowly eating at his brain. That was probably why he didn't speak any longer and just growled and snarled, and probably why he dropped unconscious at one point. He was basically rotting alive, Leo," the purple cad turtle explained. His brother grimaced in disgust.

"There was nothing they could do to help him, he was too far gone, he died," Don sighed and shook his head.

Well at least he isn't in pain anymore," Leonardo said, his brother agreed.

There was silence now and the two turtles just stared forward into the night. Both had seen a possible different side of each other, it still disturbed them that the possibility was there for it to happen.

"You think he will return?" Donatello finally broke the silence after few minutes.

"I don't know," Leo sighed. "I hope not."

"Yeah… me too," the purple masked ninja shuddered. "I feel sorry for his brothers, having to deal with him on regular bases."

"Right," his brother agreed. They both turned to look at each other.

"Come, let's go inside," Leonardo stood up and offered his hand to Don, the olive green one accepted and the basic green one pulled his sibling up.

"I'll never cut out your tongue Donny, even when you speak in your techno-language," Leo said with a smile. Don chuckled and the two brothers walked back inside, both holding each other with one arm over the other's shoulder.

 **End Epilogue**

* * *

 **A/N:** And thus When the Assassin Strikes comes to a conclusion. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I originally enjoyed writing it and now recently revising it. As with Turtotopia, there is available on my forum at Stealthy stories, an afterthought post where I go over some of the changes made to this story.


End file.
